Production of strontium sulfate and strontium carbonate from brines

A method for producing strontium carbonate from an aqueous brine solution having 300-30,000 mg/L of strontium, 50-10,000 mg/L barium, 5,000-150,000 mg/L sodium and 10-100,000 mg/L calcium, the method comprising the steps of:

• combining the brine solution with an effective amount of a first sulfate-containing reagent to precipitate barium sulfate in a first effluent;
• separating said barium sulfate from said first effluent;
• identifying the molar concentration of strontium in said first effluent;
• combining said first effluent flowing at a first flow rate with an effective amount of a second sulfate-containing reagent through a fluid recycling loop having a second flow rate less than said first flow rate of said first effluent wherein said effective amount of said second sulfate-containing reagent is sufficient to precipitate substantially only strontium sulfate in a second effluent;
• separating said strontium sulfate from said second effluent;
• washing said strontium sulfate with an aqueous solvent;
• suspending said strontium sulfate in an aqueous suspension;
• and
• combining said strontium sulfate with a carbonate-based reagent to convert said strontium sulfate to strontium carbonate.