
Fluorite (CaF2), or fluorite ore, is an important mineral widely used due to its composition—it is the primary source of fluorine—and its unique physical properties, such as a low melting point and outstanding optical properties.
Fluorite's industrial applications are diverse and span heavy industry and high-tech manufacturing.
In metallurgy, fluorite is used as a flux to lower the melting point of ores and ensure the necessary slag fluidity, facilitating the separation of metal from gangue. The mineral's name derives from the Latin word *fluere*, meaning "to flow." Fluorite is also used in steel and aluminum production, where it is used to synthesize artificial cryolite, which is used in the electrochemical production of aluminum.
In the chemical industry, fluorite is the primary raw material for the production of hydrofluoric acid (HF). Hydrofluoric acid is further used to produce fluorine and a wide range of fluorinated compounds, including fluoropolymers (e. g., Teflon), refrigerants, and other complex fluorinated chemicals.
In optics and high-tech industries, transparent crystals of natural or synthetic fluorite are used to produce high-quality lenses, prisms, and light filters. Fluorite's unique property—excellent ultraviolet and infrared transmittance—makes it an indispensable material in the production of optical instruments used in space, nuclear, and electronic engineering, such as photographic lenses, telescopes, and microscopes.
Fluorite is also used in the glass and ceramic industries, where it is used to produce a frosted glass finish and as a component of enamels and glazes, accelerating the glass melting process. Due to its vibrant and varied coloration, fluorite is used decoratively in vases, boxes, and figurines, as well as in inexpensive jewelry and beads, despite its fragility. In the cement industry, the mineral is added to reduce firing temperatures and improve the quality of cement.
Thus, fluorite is a multifunctional mineral with a wide range of applications in metallurgy, the chemical industry, optics, glass and ceramics production, decorative arts, and the cement industry. Its unique composition and physical properties ensure its demand in many key industries.
