Worldwide Fluorspar Production Growing

SRI Consulting Publishes Global Fluorspar and Inorganic Fluorine Compounds Report

MENLO PARK, CA. April 29, 2009— Although twenty countries have the ability to produce significant quantities of fluorspar, the majority of the world’s fluorspar production today is concentrated in China. Today, SRI Consulting (SRIC) published its 2009 Fluorspar and Inorganic Fluorine Compounds report that provides a comprehensive analysis, historical data, and market forecasts for the global industry.

Historically, hydrofluoric acid has been the largest-volume fluorspar derived chemical, since it is the raw material for most products containing fluorine. During the early and mid-1980s, an increase in demand for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) stimulated hydrofluoric acid demand. This demand declined in the early 1990s with the international phase-out of CFCs under the Montreal Protocol.

Ray Will, lead author and Senior Consultant at SRIC commented, “Since the mid-1990s world fluorspar demand has grown as more fluorine intensive fluorocarbon substitutes for CFCs are consumed and steel and aluminum uses for fluorspar have increased.”  Mr. Will continued, “World production of fluorspar grew to 5.59 million metric tons in 2008, exceeding the former production peak in 1989 of 5.56 million metric tons.”

Global demand for fluorspar and fluorspar derived chemicals will grow despite declines in the European and Japanese refrigerant markets under the Kyoto Protocol. Growing markets for fluoropolymers will also contribute to fluorospar demand growth.

For additional information about the Fluorspar and Inorganic Fluorine Compoundsreport, please contact Koon-Ling Ring, Program Director of SRIC’s Chemical Economics Handbook (CEH) group at kring@sriconsulting.com or +1 650 384 4359.  Visit the website at www.sriconsulting.com/CEH for a complete offering of reports.

About SRI Consulting
SRI Consulting (SRIC) is the world’s leading business research service for the global chemical industry. Publishing for almost 60 years, SRI Consulting is the preeminent source for in-depth business and process analysis.  This report was developed by the Chemical Economics Handbook (CEH) group, which provides evaluation of supply/demand relationships and analysis of the industry competitive environment for over 300 chemical products and product groups.  SRI Consulting’s headquarters are located in Menlo Park, California with offices in The Woodlands, Texas; Zurich, Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan; and Beijing, China.  SRI Consulting is a division of Access Intelligence, LLC. Additional information is available at www.sriconsulting.com.

SRI Consulting (SRIC) is a trade name and a registered trademark of SRI International, used under license.