Fluorspar

The production, consumption, and applications of fluorspar are reviewed. In 1994, the U.S. exported about 45 kt of fluorspar, but, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 493 kt were imported during the same period. Consumption, according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, was about 473 kt. China continued to be the main supplier of imports to the U.S. with 61 percent of the total imports. Of the 3 major fluorspar markets, hydrofluoric acid (HF), aluminum, and steel, the HF market was the only one to record an increase in consumption in 1994.