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Trawling Benchmark minerals site this article is not bad.
Fluorspar: The quiet achiever of the lithium ion battery boom

While cobalt, nickel, and lithium hog the headlines, another critical mineral is quietly gaining prominence in the lithium ion battery revolution: fluorspar. Specifically, acidspar, a high-grade fluorspar concentrate, is emerging as a vital player in various stages of the battery value chain, driving demand and reshaping the industry’s landscape.

Fluorspar demand from the lithium ion battery sector is expected to exceed 1.6 million tonnes by 2030, representing a significant portion of the overall market, according to Benchmark’s Fluorspar Market Outlook.

This unassuming mineral, primarily composed of calcium fluoride (CaF2), holds potential beyond its traditional uses in refrigerants, steelmaking and aluminium production. Fluorspar is mainly produced through open pit operations and has two main grades: metallurgical-grade (metspar) for steelmaking and acid-grade (acidspar). The material is extracted and then processed through crushing, grinding, and physical sorting.

Acid-grade material or acidspar requires further chemical refining to reach 97% CaF₂ content. The final product is sold in a powder form and transported either as dry or wet filtercake, depending on the shipping routes and end-market.

As the lithium ion battery market experiences exponential growth fuelled by electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, fluorspar’s unique properties are finding increasing application in four key areas:

1. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder in cathodes: PVDF, a fluoropolymer derived from fluorspar, serves as the critical binder material holding cathode active materials together. Its excellent performance in high-voltage batteries and resistance to harsh chemical environments make it irreplaceable. The growing demand for high-nickel cathodes, with their superior energy density, further boosts PVDF consumption.

2. PVDF coating on separators in pouch-format cells: Pouch cells, popular in consumer electronics and smaller battery applications, employ separators coated with PVDF to enhance their stability and safety. This application, though currently smaller than cathode binder use, is witnessing rapid growth due to the rising popularity of pouch cells.

3. Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) electrolyte: LiPF6 serves as the key electrolyte salt in lithium ion batteries, facilitating lithium ion movement. Its production relies heavily on hydrofluoric acid (HF), which is derived from fluorspar. The surging demand for lithium ion batteries directly translates to increased LiPF6 and, consequently, fluorspar consumption.

4. Hydrofluoric acid for anode purification: Natural flake graphite, a common anode material, often contains impurities like silica. HF plays a crucial role in removing these impurities, enhancing the performance and safety of the anode. As demand for high-purity graphite increases, so does the reliance on HF and, subsequently, fluorspar.

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