China mines roughly 60% of the world's fluorspar — and now controls its export. What fluorite is, what it unlocks, and why it is a chokepoint.
Last updated: October 2026
Fluorite, or fluorspar, is the ore of fluorine — the element behind Teflon, refrigerants, and lithium battery electrolytes. China mines roughly 60% of world output and, since December 2023, has restricted its export under dual-use controls.
| # | Country | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | ~60% |
| 2 | Mexico | ~15% |
| 3 | Mongolia | ~8% |
| 4 | South Africa | ~5% |
| 5 | Vietnam | ~3% |
Fluorspar mine production shares, 2024 (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025).
Fluorite is calcium fluoride, a colourful mineral mined as fluorspar. Two grades matter: acid-grade (over 97% calcium fluoride), the feed for hydrofluoric acid, and metallurgical grade, used as a flux in steel and aluminum smelting.
Hydrofluoric acid, the gateway to fluoropolymers (PTFE/Teflon), refrigerants, and lithium battery electrolyte (LiPF6). Plus aluminum smelting flux, steelmaking, uranium processing, and optics (fluorite lenses).
China, with roughly 60% of world fluorspar production (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025), far ahead of Mexico and Mongolia.
China accounts for roughly 60% of fluorspar production. In December 2023 Beijing placed fluorspar under dual-use export licensing, and Chinese exports fell sharply in 2024 — a direct use of mineral leverage in the technology rivalry.
High. China holds roughly 60% of production and now licenses exports. Acid-grade fluorspar is the bottleneck for hydrofluoric acid, which has no substitute in fluoropolymer and battery-electrolyte chains. Mexico and Mongolia offer alternatives but take years to scale.
Fluorite is the ore of fluorine, behind Teflon, refrigerants and lithium battery electrolytes. China mines roughly 60% of world fluorspar and placed it under export licensing in December 2023. Acid-grade fluorspar is the bottleneck for hydrofluoric acid, with no substitute in fluoropolymer and battery chains.
Fluorite is calcium fluoride, a colourful mineral mined as fluorspar. Two grades matter: acid-grade (over 97% calcium fluoride), the feed for hydrofluoric acid, and metallurgical grade, used as a flux in steel and aluminum smelting.
Hydrofluoric acid, the gateway to fluoropolymers (PTFE/Teflon), refrigerants, and lithium battery electrolyte (LiPF6). Plus aluminum smelting flux, steelmaking, uranium processing, and optics (fluorite lenses).
China, with roughly 60% of world fluorspar production (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025), far ahead of Mexico and Mongolia.
