Fluorspar

Notholt, A.J.G.; Highley, D.E.. 1971 Fluorspar. London, UK, HMSO, 34pp. (Mineral Dossier No. 1)

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Abstract/Summary

Fluorspar is an important industrial mineral valued for its calcium fluoride (CaF2) content, and is the only major source of fluorine. It is used chiefly in the manufacture of hydrofluoric acid and other fluorine chemicals, as a flux in steel making and as an opacifier and flux in the ceramics industry. It has been produced in the United Kingdom for nearly 100 years, the principal deposits occurring in the Pennines of northern England, particularly in Derbyshire and Durham. The deposits are associated with extensive lead-zinc mineralization in the Carboniferous Limestone, the fluorspar at one time being rejected as waste during the working of the lead-zinc mines. This waste material has been worked for many years as a source of fluorspar, although most of the present production is derived from deposits mined underground or at the surface. The fluorspar is usually processed by gravity concentration or flotation. Derbyshire is the principal producing county, much of the present production coming from workings within the Peak District National Park; mining is carefully controlled by the Peak Park Planning Board and restoration conditions are attached to most surface workings. Reserves in the United Kingdom are considered to be adequate for the next decade, at least, most of the known reserves being in Derbyshire. Additional reserves are likely to be found, particularly in northern Derbyshire and west Durham, beneath geologically younger formations and also at deeper, as yet unexplored, levels of known deposits or mineralised structures. Prospecting and development work has been carried out in a number of areas. The United Kingdom ranks eighth among fluorspar-producing countries in the world, production in 1969 being about 190,000 tonnes, of which about 106,000 tonnes was of acid grade and 77,000 tonnes of metallurgical grade. Exports in 1969 amounted to nearly 43,000 tonnes valued at about £740,000. There are three major producing companies, Laporte Industries Limited with mines in Derbyshire, Weardale Lead Company, (a subsidiary of Imperial Chemical Industries Limited), and the British Steel Corporation, both of which have mines in Durham. Laporte Industries is the largest producer and is also the only major exporter at present. All three companies consume most of their own production in fluorine chemical manufacture or in steelmaking. There are a number of other producers, many of which sell their output to the larger companies for processing. C E Giulini (Derbyshire) Limited, an associate of a major Italian producer of fluorspar, plans to produce and process the mineral in Derbyshire.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	BGS Programmes > Economic Minerals
Funders/Sponsors:	Institute of Geological Sciences
Additional Keywords:	Mineral, Fluorspar
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	28 Jul 2025 16:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539889

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