Acid-Grade Fluorspar

Acid-Grade Fluorspar from Pakistan

Fluorspar (fluorite) is a calcium fluoride mineral (CaF₂) and the world’s primary source of fluorine. Acid-grade fluorspar is the highest purity commercial grade, requiring a minimum 97% CaF₂ content with strict limits on silica, carbonate, and sulphide impurities. It is produced by beneficiating run-of-mine fluorspar through heavy media separation, flotation, or a combination of both. Pakistan’s fluorspar deposits occur in hydrothermal vein and replacement-type mineralization across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the northern geological formations. The ore occurs in characteristic pale green, purple, white, and colourless crystalline forms.

Specifications

• Mineral: Fluorite (CaF₂)

• CaF₂ Content: 97%+ (acid-grade)

• SiO₂: < 1%

• CaCO₃: < 1%

• S (Sulphur): < 0.03%

• P₂O₅: < 0.03%

• As: < 0.01%

• Moisture: < 0.1% (dried)

• Colour: Pale green, purple, white, colourless

Available Forms

• Beneficiated lumps: 10-80 mm

• Flotation concentrate: fine powder, 90% passing 150 microns

• Dried powder: 200, 325 mesh

• Custom sizing available

Industrial Uses

• Hydrofluoric acid (HF) production: Acid-grade fluorspar is reacted with sulphuric acid in rotary kilns to produce hydrofluoric acid, the essential starting material for all downstream fluorine chemistry. HF production is the single largest consumer of acid-grade fluorspar globally

• Fluorocarbon refrigerants: HF derived from fluorspar is used to manufacture HFC and HFO refrigerants (R-134a, R-410A, R-1234yf) for air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump systems

• Fluoropolymers: HF is converted to fluoropolymer monomers (TFE, VDF, HFP) for producing PTFE (Teflon), PVDF, FEP, and other high-performance fluoropolymers used in chemical processing, electronics, automotive, and aerospace

• Aluminium smelting: Synthetic cryolite (Na₃AlF₆) and aluminium fluoride (AlF₃) produced from HF are essential bath additives in the Hall-Heroult aluminium smelting process, lowering the electrolysis temperature and improving energy efficiency

• Uranium enrichment: Uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) produced from HF is the feedstock for uranium enrichment by gaseous diffusion and gas centrifuge processes in the nuclear fuel cycle

• Pharmaceutical and agrochemical: Fluorine from HF is incorporated into many pharmaceutical drugs (fluorinated antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-cancer agents) and agrochemicals (fluorinated herbicides and insecticides)

• Electronics: HF and fluorine gases derived from fluorspar are used in semiconductor etching, flat panel display manufacturing, and solar cell production

• Lithium-ion batteries: Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆) electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries is produced from HF, creating growing demand from the EV sector

Quality Assurance

Each lot includes a Certificate of Analysis reporting CaF₂, SiO₂, CaCO₃, S, P₂O₅, As, Fe₂O₃, BaSO₄, moisture, and particle size distribution. Acid-grade fluorspar is tested to strict international specifications. Pre-shipment samples are provided for buyer approval. Third-party inspection (SGS, Intertek, or equivalent) can be arranged on request.