Price

Fluorspar Pricing and Market Data

Acid-grade fluorspar (>97% CaF2) prices range from $350-600/tonne depending on origin and market conditions. Met-grade fluorspar trades at $200-350/tonne. Chinese domestic prices set the floor for the global market, while Mexican and South African material trades at premiums. Fluorspar pricing is reported by Industrial Minerals and Fastmarkets. The market is driven by hydrofluoric acid demand (for fluorochemicals, aluminum, petroleum refining, and semiconductor manufacturing) and steelmaking activity. Chinese environmental regulations have been a recurring supply-side price driver.

Pricing Mechanisms

Fluorspar is priced using benchmarks from Industrial Minerals/Fastmarkets. Fluorspar pricing operates through a combination of exchange-based benchmarks, price reporting agency assessments, bilateral negotiation, and long-term offtake contracts. The specific mechanism depends on product form, grade, and the buyer-seller relationship.

Price History and Notable Market Events

The Fluorspar market has been shaped by the following key events:

Price Drivers

Key factors influencing Fluorspar prices include production levels in China (65% of global supply), demand from steelmaking flux and hydrofluoric acid production, inventory levels, energy costs, and government policy actions such as export restrictions or strategic stockpiling.

Spot vs. Contract Pricing

The Fluorspar market features both spot transactions and longer-term contracts. Spot prices reflect current conditions and are more volatile, while multi-year offtake agreements provide supply security for both producers and consumers. Current spot pricing is in the range of 350-700 $/tonne (acid grade).