What is Fluorspar and Where Do I Use It?

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• Fluorspar is the commercial name for the naturally occurring mineral fluorite, composed of calcium and fluorine (CaF2).

• Fluorspar is the predominant commercial source for the chemical element fluorine.

• Fluorine is a non-metallic element and the lightest of the halogens and therefore largely irreplaceable in its use.

• There are two principal commercial grades of fluorspar: Metallurgical grade (60-96% CaF2) and acid grade (+97% CaF2).

• Metallurgical grade fluorspar accounts for approximately 35-40% of total fluorspar production with the principal applications being:

  • Steel production – used as a flux to lower the melting temperature and increase the chemical reactivity to help the absorption and removal of sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and other impurities in the slag

  • Cement – used as a flux to speed up the calcination process and enables the kiln to operate at lower temperatures

• Acid grade fluorspar accounts for approximately 60-65% of total fluorspar production with the principal applications being:

  • Aluminium production – used to produce aluminium fluoride (ALF3) which acts as a flux to lower the bath temperature in the manufacture of aluminium

  • Manufacture of hydrofluoric acid (HF) – the primary source of all fluorochemicals (the single largest consumer of fluorspar), a wide range of applications include:

    • Fluorocarbons e.g. refrigerant gases, propellants, etc

    • Electrical and electronic appliances

    • Lithium batteries

    • Pharmaceuticals, polymers and agrochemicals

    • Petrochemical catalysts

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Where is Fluorspar Produced and Consumed?
 

• World production of fluorspar: 5.7Mt – 6.0Mt per year

• The major producing regions are:

  • China (>50% of the world’s production)

  • Mexico

  • Mongolia/CIS

  • South Africa

• The major consuming regions are:

  • China

  • North America

  • Europe

  • Mexico

  • Russia
    
     

How much does it cost? 
 

• Since the global financial crisis in 2009, there has been a contraction in acid-spar demand due to a combination of environmental legislation and demand - Fluorspar prices have followed such trend.

• Acid grade fluorspar has historically commanded the highest price however the price gap between this and metallurgical grade fluorspar has reduced recently.

• In 2017 prices for acid-spar have started to recover in China, export price for acid-spar (FOB China) – traditional benchmark price – is currently published as US$400-420/tonne.

• The equivalent price delivered into Europe (CIF Rotterdam), published as US$300-340/tonne, has started to recover following the FOB China price recovery.
  
   

Specific Issues for Fluorspar
 

• There are no net exporters of fluorspar in Europe and all EU Member States are reliant on imports.

• China produces >50% of the world’s fluorspar.

• Chinese fluorspar exports have continued to decline with acid-spar exports decreasing since 2011 – internal demand and production/export restrictions.

• China may become a net importer in the future.

• China listed fluorspar as a strategic mineral in 2017.

• USA considers fluorspar as a Strategic Mineral.

• North America and Europe are the largest acid-spar consumers outside China, all net importers – a potential risk to long term security of supply.

• No large scale commercial alternative.

• Future demand for fluorspar will highly depend on the development and use of fluorocarbon substitutes.

• Industry view is that demand for acid-spar will increase by 4-5% per year over the next 5 years and prices are forecast to increase in the medium to long-term.

• [Editor:admin]