How is cesium metal produced and purified, and what are the cost implications?

How is cesium metal produced and purified, and what are the cost implications?
Cesium production is a specialized, multi-step process. In the lab, metallothermic reduction is preferred, mixing dry cesium chloride with calcium or lithium metal in a stainless steel reactor under high vacuum at 600-800°C to distill out cesium. Industrially, calcium can react directly with crushed, high-grade pollucite ore, cutting costs. Electrolysis is impractical with molten cesium chloride because the metal dissolves in the melt; early methods used molten cesium cyanide, and some non-aqueous systems have been explored. Purification is relatively simple due to cesium's low boiling point—crude metal is gently heated in a borosilicate glass vessel under vacuum to distill it. The energy-intensive, high-vacuum processes and the need for specialized handling contribute to cesium's high price, typically over $1000 per gram in small ampoules.