Chemical properties[edit]
Strontium carbonate is a white, odorless, tasteless powder. Being a carbonate, it is a weak base and therefore is reactive with acids. It is otherwise stable and safe to work with. It is practically insoluble in water (1 part in 100,000). The solubility is increased significantly if the water is saturated with carbon dioxide, to 1 part in 1,000. It is soluble in dilute acids.
Preparation[edit]
Other than the natural occurrence as a mineral, strontium carbonate is prepared synthetically in one of two manners. First of which is from naturally occurring celestine also known as strontium sulfate (SrSO4) or by using soluble strontium salts by the reaction in solution with a soluble carbonate salt (usually sodium or ammonium carbonates). For example if sodium carbonate was used in solution with strontium nitrate:
Sr(NO3)2 (aq) + Na2CO3 (aq) → SrCO3 (s) + 2 NaNO3 (aq).