Fluorspar(Fluorite)
Purity (Grade): 75%-90%
Supply Capacity: 800 MT/Month
Size: 0-10,10-80, 2-8,0.2-1 mm
Packing: In big bag with truk and 20’FCL (23-26 Ton Loading)
Color: white and violet crystaline
Moisture: Max 1%
Inspection: Container loading survey Quality-Quantity report in Loading.
Documents: Quality reports, Shipping B/L, CO, Commercial invoice, Packing List
price & Payment: Negotiable
Fluorspar(Fluorite)
Our fluorspar chemical specification.
| Item | Element | Base% |
| 1 | CaF2 | 75-90 % |
| 2 | CaCO3 | 6-10% |
| 3 | SiO2 | 5-9% |
| 4 | Fe2O3 | 0.5-1.5% |
| 5 | Sr | 0.2% |
| 6 | S | 0.2% |
| 7 | P | 0.1% |
| 8 | Al2O3 | 1-2% |
| 9 | BaO |
About Fluorspar mineral
Fluorite is a very popular mineral, and it naturally occurs in all colors of the spectrum. It is one of the most varied colored minerals in the mineral kingdom, and the colors may be very intense and almost electric. Pure Fluorite is colorless; the color variations are caused by various impurities. Some colors are deeply colored, and are especially pretty in large well-formed crystals, which Fluorite often forms. Sometimes coloring is caused by hydrocarbons, which can be removed from a specimen by heating. Some dealers may apply oil treatment upon amateur Fluorite specimens to enhance luster.
Fluorite has interesting cleavage habits. The perfect cleavage parallel to the octahedral faces can sometimes be peeled off to smooth out a crystal into a perfect octahedron. Many crystals, especially larger ones, have their edges or sections chipped off because of the cleavage.
Fluorite is one of the more famous fluorescent minerals. Many specimens strongly fluoresce, in a great variation of color. In fact, the word “fluorescent” is derived from the mineral Fluorite. The name of the element fluorine is also derived from Fluorite, as Fluorite is by far the most common and well-known fluorine mineral.
For additional information, see the gemstones section on Fluorite.
Chemical Formula |
CaF2 |
| Composition | Calcium fluoride |
| Color | Fluorite occurs in all colors, including colorless, white, purple, blue, red, pink, orange, yellow, brown, green, gray, and black. May also be multicolored and banded. |
| Streak | White |
| Hardness | 4 |
| Crystal System | Isometric |
| 3D Crystal Atlas (Click for animated model) |
|
| Crystal Forms and Aggregates |
Most commonly octahedrals and cubic; seldom in dodecahedral crystals. Crystals may also be a combination of octahedra and cubes, and dodecahedral growths may also be present, forming complex and interesting crystals. Cleavage marks are present on most crystals. Cleavage fragments from large crystals are also prevalent; in octahedra, the cleavage fragments are flat, triangular shaped pieces, and cubic cleavage fragments are flat, three dimensional rectangles. Crystals frequently form penetration twins, where one cube is intergrown in another (“fluorite twins”). Also occurs as clusters of intergrown cubes, grainy, botryoidal, as spherical balls, and massive. |
| Transparency | Transparent to translucent |
| Specific Gravity | 3.0 – 3.3 |
| Cleavage | 1, all sides |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Other ID Marks | Commonly fluorescent in a variety of colors. |
| Complex Tests | Red and green fluorite become phosphorescent if heated higher than 212º F (100º C) |
| In Group | Halides |
| Striking Features | Perfect cleavage, low hardness, and crystal habits |
| Environment | Hydrothermal ore veins, sedimentary deposits, metamorphic environments, and pegmatite dikes. |
What is Fluorite?
Fluorite is an important industrial mineral composed of calcium and fluorine (CaF2). It is used in a wide variety of chemical, metallurgical and ceramic processes. Specimens with exceptional diaphaneity and color are cut into gems or used to make ornamental objects.
Fluorite is deposited in veins by hydrothermal processes. In these rocks it often occurs as a gangue mineral associated with metallic ores. Fluorite is also found in the fractures and cavities of some limestones and dolomites. It is a very common rock-forming mineral found in many parts of the world. In the mining industry fluorite is often called “fluorspar.”
Physical Properties of Fluorite
Fluorite is very easy to identify if you consider cleavage, hardness and specific gravity. It is the only common mineral that has four directions of perfect cleavage, often breaking into pieces with the shape of an octahedron. It is also the mineral used for a hardness of four in the Mohs Hardness Scale. Finally, it has a specific gravity of 3.2 which is detectably higher than most other minerals.
Although color is not a reliable property for mineral identification, the characteristic purple, green and yellow translucent to transparent appearance of fluorite is an immediate visual clue for the mineral.
Fluorescence
In 1852, George Gabriel Stokes discovered the ability of specimens of fluorite to produce a blue glow when illuminated with light, which in his words was “beyond the violet end of the spectrum.” He called this phenomenon “fluorescence” after the mineral fluorite. The name gained wide acceptance in mineralogy, gemology, biology, optics, commercial lighting and many other fields. (See photo pair at right for an example of fluorite fluorescence in tumbled stones.)
Fluorite typically glows a blue-violet color under short-wave ultraviolet and long-wave ultraviolet light. Some specimens are known to glow a cream or white color. Many specimens do not fluoresce. Fluorescence in fluorite is thought to be caused when trace amounts of yttrium, europium, samarium or other elements substitute for calcium in the fluorite mineral structure.
Fluorite Occurrence
Most fluorite occurs as vein fillings in rocks that have been subjected to hydrothermal activity. These veins often contain metallic ores which can include sulfides of tin, silver, lead, zinc, copper and other metals.
Fluorite is also found in the fractures and vugs of some limestones and dolomites. Fluorite can be massive, granular or euhedral as octahedral or cubic crystals. Fluorite is a common mineral in hydrothermal and carbonate rocks worldwide.
Uses of Fluorite
Fluorite has a wide variety of uses. The primary uses are in the metallurgical, ceramics and chemical industries; however, optical, lapidary and other uses are also important.
Fluorspar, the name used for fluorite when it is sold as a bulk material or in processed form, is sold in three different grades (acid, ceramic and metallurgical).
Acid Grade Fluorspar
Acid grade fluorspar is a high purity material used by the chemical industry. It contains over 97% CaF2. Most of the fluorspar consumed in the United States is acid grade even if it is used in lower grade applications. It is used mainly in the chemical industry to manufacture hydrofluoric acid (HF). The HF is then used to manufacture a variety of products which include: fluorocarbon chemicals, foam blowing agents, refrigerants and a variety of fluoride chemicals.
Ceramic Grade Fluorspar
Ceramic grade fluorspar contains between 85% and 96% CaF2. Much of this material is used in the manufacture of specialty glass, ceramics and enamelware. Fluorspar is used to make glazes and surface treatments that produce hard glossy surfaces, opalescent surfaces and a number of other appearances that make consumer glass objects more attractive or more durable. The non-stick cooking surface known as Teflon is made using fluorine derived from fluorite.
Metallurgical Grade Fluorspar
Metallurgical grade fluorspar contains between 60 and 85% CaF2. Much of this material is used in the production of iron, steel and other metals. Fluorspar can serve as a flux that removes impurities such as sulfur and phosphorous from molten metal and improves the fluidity of slag. Between 20 and 60 pounds of fluorspar is used for every ton of metal produced. In the United States many metal producers use fluorspar that exceeds metallurgical grade.
Optical Grade Fluorite
Specimens of fluorite with exceptional optical clarity have been used as lenses. Fluorite has a very low refractive index and a very low dispersion. These two characteristics enable the lens to produce extremely sharp images. Today, instead of using natural fluorite crystals to manufacture these lenses, high-purity fluorite is melted and combined with other materials to produce synthetic “fluorite” lenses of even higher quality. These lenses are used in optical equipment such as microscopes, telescopes and cameras.
Lapidary Grade Fluorite
Specimens of fluorite with exceptional color and clarity are often used by lapidaries to cut gemstones and make ornamental objects. High-quality specimens of fluorite make beautiful faceted stones; however, the mineral is so soft and cleaves so easily that these stones are either sold as collector’s specimens or used in jewelry that will not be subjected to impact or abrasion. Fluorite is also cut and carved into ornamental objects such as small figurines and vases. These are often treated with a coating or impregnation to enhance their stability and protect them from scratches.
Fluorite Production in the United States
Deposits of minable fluorite exist in the United States; however, nearly all of the fluorite consumed in the United States is imported. The primary countries that supplied fluorite to the United States in 2011 were China, Mexico, Mongolia and South Africa. All of this fluorite is imported because production costs in the United States are so high that the material can be produced in these other countries and shipped directly to customers in the United States at a lower cost.
In 2011 several companies were producing and selling synthetic fluorite as a byproduct of their phosphoric acid production, petroleum processing, or uranium processing activities. A limestone producer in Illinois was also recovering and selling small amounts of fluorite from their quarry. That company is developing an underground mine to exploit a large vein of fluorite which they hope will be in production in 2013.
Uses of Fluorite
The uses of fluorite are as follows:
- Ornamental uses.
- As flux in the manufacture of steel.
- In the making of opalescent glass.
- As enamels for cooking utensils.
- As hydrofluoric acid.
- As elements in place of glass in some high performance telescopes and camera lens.