"Mineral Resource Of The Month, Fluorspar".pdf

Fluorspar, a mineral resource commodity, has been used in steelmaking since the late 19th century, with its uses growing and changing over the last 100 years. The term fluorspar refers to crude or beneficiated material mined and/or milled for the mineral fluorite, with its most important markets being fluorochemicals, aluminum refining, and steel. Fluorite is a nonmetallic mineral containing 51.1% calcium and 48.9% fluorine, and has been used for ornamental purposes since ancient times. The US was a major producer of fluorspar from World War II until the late 1960s, but ceased production due to competition from Europe, Mexico, and China. In 2002, the US consumed 588,000 metric tons of fluorspar, with most of it being imported from China, South Africa, and Mexico. World fluorspar production was 4.51 million tons in 2002, with China being the largest producer, accounting for 54% of total world production. The phaseout of chlorofluorocarbons has had a negative effect on world demand for fluorspar, but production has recovered somewhat with the development of more ozone-friendly fluorocarbon compounds.