Salient Fluorspar Statistics

The table presents key statistics on the production, trade, and consumption of fluorspar in the United States and globally over the period from 2019 to 2023. This data encompasses quantities and average unit values for both acid-grade fluorspar, which contains more than 97% calcium fluoride, and metallurgical-grade fluorspar, containing not more than 97% calcium fluoride. Additionally, it includes information on imports, exports, apparent consumption, and fluorosilicic acid production and usage. These figures are critical for understanding the supply-demand dynamics of fluorspar, a mineral essential to various industrial applications such as aluminum production, steelmaking, and the manufacture of hydrofluoric acid, which is a precursor to numerous chemical products. Monitoring these statistics helps stakeholders assess market trends, trade balances, and the economic health of the fluorspar sector.

Analysis of the data reveals notable trends in the U.S. fluorspar market between 2019 and 2023. U.S. exports of acid-grade fluorspar surged dramatically from 1,880 metric tons in 2019 to a peak of 15,000 metric tons in 2022 before slightly declining to 13,400 metric tons in 2023. Metallurgical-grade exports also increased until 2021, reaching 10,900 metric tons, but then declined to 6,740 metric tons by 2023. On the import side, acid-grade fluorspar imports fluctuated, peaking at 448,000 metric tons in 2022 before dropping to 381,000 metric tons in 2023, while metallurgical-grade imports saw a sharp decrease from 83,500 metric tons in 2022 to 31,000 metric tons in 2023. Apparent consumption followed a similar pattern, with total consumption rising to 508,000 metric tons in 2022 before falling to 392,000 metric tons in 2023. Globally, fluorspar production showed steady growth, increasing from 8.58 million metric tons in 2019 to an estimated 9.53 million metric tons in 2023. Meanwhile, U.S. fluorosilicic acid production and usage remained relatively stable, with production estimated at 43,200 metric tons and value rising to $8.84 million in 2023. These shifts highlight the dynamic nature of the fluorspar market, influenced by changing domestic demand, trade policies, and global supply conditions