Fluorspar, primarily composed of calcium fluoride (CaF2), is a versatile mineral that can be found in a range of colours including green, purple, blue, yellow, or colourless, depending on its impurities. It is highly valued in the steel industry for its ability to lower the melting temperatures of metals when used as a flux and a de-sulphurising agent.
Fluorspar is available in two main commercial grades:
- Metallurgical Grade (60 – 96% CaF2): This grade is widely used in the steel industry, as well as in ceramics, glass, and cement industries. It helps to promote slag fluidity and remove impurities such as sulphur and phosphorus.
- Acid Grade (+97% CaF2): The high-purity Acid grade is primarily used to produce hydrofluoric acid (HF) and as a precursor for various fluorine compounds. These compounds are essential in the production of refrigerants, pharmaceuticals, aluminium (e.g., aluminium fluorite or AlF3), high-performance plastics like Teflon, and high-octane gasoline.
In addition, fluorspar is valued in the optical and jewellery industries due to its low refractive index and dispersion properties. These characteristics make it an excellent material for optical lenses and gemstones, particularly for its unique fluorescence under ultraviolet light.
Fluorspar is also considered a critical mineral for its role in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. On average, each lithium-ion battery requires about 100 kg of fluorspar per 100 kWh produced. Fluorspar is essential for producing lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and lithium bis(fluorsulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) electrolytes and binders (PVDF) for lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, HF, derived from fluorspar, is used to produce spherical graphite material for battery anodes.
For more information about fluorspar or to place an enquiry, please contact Mineral-Loy at www.mineral-loy.co.za, email us at info@mineral-loy.co.za, or call (+27) 11 802 4050.