Strontium (Sr) is a silver metal with a yellowish tint named for the Scottish village of Strontian, where the mineral strontianite was discovered in 1790. Its properties closely resemble and are intermediate between those of calcium and barium. Strontium will oxides a darker yellow in air quickly, and reacts vigorously in water. As such, it should be stored under mineral oil.

Strontium can be obtained from fireworks that explode with a deep red colour, as strontium chloride. This will be found as a white powder in the head of the firework inside a black detonation cap. This powder is mixed with other chemicals.

Add the powder from several red fireworks to water and stir. Place into the fridge overnight. Strontium chloride is very water soluble, so decant and keep the liquid while discarding the precipitate. Boil the solution to obtain strontium chloride crystals, which should burn a deep red in a flame test.

Mix the crystals in a 1 to 1 ratio with potasium chloride, which can be found at a grocery store as “salt-free salt”. Place the mixture into a crucible and set up for electrolysis with the anode and cathode both in the mixture, using a car battery (or charger). Use a propane torch and heat the crucible. Once the mixture reaches about 800 °C, it will melt and the reaction will begin, visibly and audibly. The heat can be removed at this point, as it will sustain itself.

Strontium metal will be produced, but much of it will react to the air. If you can build your setup so that the crucible is covered, you will get a greater yield. Sift out the metal after the reactant has cooled and place in mineral oil. You can test a piece of the metal in water to test it. It should bubble rapidly.

There is a video detailing this process on YouTube.

I will be testing if this process works with the strontium nitrate found in emergency flares.