Fluorochemical industry

The global market for chemicals from fluorine was about US$16 billion per year as of 2006.^[1] The industry was predicted to reach 2.6 million metric tons per year by 2015.^[2] The largest market is the United States. Western Europe is the second largest. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region of production.^[2] China in particular has experienced significant growth as a fluorochemical market and is becoming a producer of them as well.^[3] Fluorite mining (the main source of fluorine) was estimated in 2003 to be a $550 million industry, extracting 4.5 million tons per year.^[4]

Mined fluorite is separated into two main grades, with about equal production of each. Acidspar is at least 97% CaF₂; metspar is much lower purity, 60–85%. (A small amount of the intermediate, ceramic, grade is also made.)^[3]^[4] Metspar is used almost exclusively for iron smelting. Acidspar is primarily converted to hydrofluoric acid (by reaction with sulfuric acid). The resultant HF is mostly used to produce organofluorides and synthetic cryolite.^[5]

^ "Freedonia industry study #1555 – Fluorochemicals" (PDF). Freedonia. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Global fluorochemicals Market to exceed 2.6 million tons by 2015, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc". Global Industry Analysts (via PRWeb). 2010. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
^ ^a ^b Kogel; Trivedi, Nikhil C.; Barker, James M. (2006). Industrial minerals & rocks: Commodities, markets, and uses. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (U.S.). pp. 461–473. ISBN 978-0-87335-233-8.
^ ^a ^b Kirsch, Peer (2004). "Fluorine". Modern fluoroorganic chemistry: Synthesis, reactivity, applications. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 3–10. ISBN 978-3-527-30691-6. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
^ Villalba, Gara; Ayres, Robert U.; Schroder, Hans (2008). "Accounting for fluorine: production, use, and loss". Journal of Industrial Ecology. 11: 85–101. doi:10.1162/jiec.2007.1075. S2CID 153740615.

[Freedonia_Fluorochemicals_to_2006-1] "Freedonia industry study #1555 – Fluorochemicals" (PDF). Freedonia. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

[GIA_f-chem_report_description-2] "Global fluorochemicals Market to exceed 2.6 million tons by 2015, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc". Global Industry Analysts (via PRWeb). 2010. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2012.

[SME_mining_2006-3] Kogel; Trivedi, Nikhil C.; Barker, James M. (2006). Industrial minerals & rocks: Commodities, markets, and uses. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (U.S.). pp. 461–473. ISBN 978-0-87335-233-8.

[ModFcchem-4] Kirsch, Peer (2004). "Fluorine". Modern fluoroorganic chemistry: Synthesis, reactivity, applications. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 3–10. ISBN 978-3-527-30691-6. Retrieved 7 May 2011.

[AcountF-5] Villalba, Gara; Ayres, Robert U.; Schroder, Hans (2008). "Accounting for fluorine: production, use, and loss". Journal of Industrial Ecology. 11: 85–101. doi:10.1162/jiec.2007.1075. S2CID 153740615.

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