IGME • Fluorspar in Short • Geology • Processing • Uses
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EurGeo Manuel Regueiro y González-Barros Andres Santiago Martín Geological Survey of Spain MENÚ • IGME • Fluorspar in short • Geology • Processing • Uses and specs • Fluorspar in Spain – Geology & mining – Production and consumption – Uses – Reserves and resources – Future trends 2 IGME The Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (Geological Survey of Spain) – Senior (founded 1849) public research autonomous institution attached to the Ministry of Science and Innovation – Main Earth Sciences Research Centre of Spain. Total 392 employees, 270 graduated – Specialized in various fields of activity such as geology, environment, hydrogeology, mineral resources, natural hazards and land use planning – IGME facilities, including its headquarters, project offices in several places around the country, laboratories, warehouses, drill core repository , library and museum, are equipped with advanced technology and technical resources – IGME is the national centre for the creation of knowledge infrastructure, information and R&D in Earth Sciences 3 FLUORSPAR IN SHORT • Flourite (F2Ca) always regarded as donor or rationality and intuitive qualities…(for Aquarians of course) • In Roman times, used in decoration and jars (thought to prevent drunkenness if used for wine…) • Fist described by Agricola (1530) as an additive in smelting to reduce the melting point of metals, thus the name from Latin fluere (flow)… • A.S. Marggraf produced hydrofluoric acid in 1764 heating fluorite with sulphuric acid. • Used in medicine in the XVIII century to prevent renal illness… • In 1852, fluorite gave its name to the phenomenon of fluorescence (contains mineral impurities, such as yttrium, ytterbium or europium). It also has thermoluminiscence… • Fluorine first isolated by Henri Moissan in 1886 • Growth of fluorite consumption related to steel manufacturing in the XX century. • Main uses today of this intuitive, home of the rainbow, “healthy” mineral with fluorescence and flow…: – Acid-grade (> 97 percent CaF2). ~52% global use – Metallurgical-grade (≤ 97 percent CaF2). ~43% global use – Other (cement, pharmacy, ceramics, enamel, glass, welding rod coatings, ornamental). ~5% global use 4 GEOLOGY OF FLUORSPAR • Fluorine ranks 13th in Earth crust abundance (600–700 ppm) • Fluorspar occurs in many types of geological settings: – Hydrothermal Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT. Lead-zinc(-fluorspar-barite)) • Spain, USA, – Veins and stockworks along faults of shear zones in igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks • China, Spain, United Kingdom, Morocco, Mongolia, Mexico, South Africa, Transval – Stratiform beds in carbonate rocks • Mexico, South Africa – Alkaline-Volcanic-Related Epithermal substituting carbonate rocks • Northern Mexico, Kenya – Replacement deposits (along faults, joints and contacts) • Mexico, USA, China, South Africa – Marginal deposits in carbonatitic rocks complexes • Namibia, India – Pegmatite • EEUU – Weathering of all the above • EEUU, England, Thailand, Spain, South Africa • World reserves 240 Mt. South Africa (about 41 Mt), Mexico (32 Mt) and China (24 Mt), Mongolia (22 Mt), Spain (6Mt) Source: USGS 2017 (from Miller 2013. 100% CaF2) 5 GEOLOGY OF FLUORSPAR Source: Bide, Gunn, Brown and Rayner 2011, Fluorspar Mineral Profile - British Geological Survey 6 https://www.bgs.ac.uk/downloads/start.cfm?id=1405 GEOLOGY OF FLUORSPAR 7 GEOLOGY OF FLUORSPAR Figure G6. Plot of fluorite (CaF2 ) grade versus tonnage for fluorspar deposits related to strongly differentiated granites, for carbonatite-related fluorspar deposits, and for veins from all classes of fluorspar deposits. Two vein fluorspar mines that failed because of either insufficient grade (Zwartkloof; Z) or insufficient tonnage (Argentolle; A) are identified on the plot. Data are from table G1–1; deposits whose grade and tonnage are plotted are listed in the footnote. Source: Fluorine. Chapter G of Critical Mineral Resources of the United States—Economic and Environmental Geology and Prospects for 8 Future Supply. USGS. Professional Paper 1802–G. 2017 FLUORSPAR WORLD PRODUCTION 2016 Source: AFMST Source : BGS Source: USGS China 4.200.000,00 4.200.000,00 3.800.000,00 Mexico 655.255,00 655.255,00 988.000,00 Mongolia 248.900,00 338.000,00 202.000,00 Vietnam 218.878,00 217.900,00 175.000,00 South Africa 180.000,00 180.000,00 165.000,00 Spain 130.131,00 132.501,00 130.000,00 Kazakhstan 100.000,00 110.000,00 Morocco 73.920,00 81.000,00 70.000,00 Iran 70.820,00 60.000,00 40.000,00 Germany 52.552,00 52.552,00 50.000,00 Kenya 42.656,00 81.000,00 43.000,00 Argentina 39.000,00 30.000,00 39.000,00 Brazil 24.000,00 25.000,00 24.000,00 Thailand 20.100,00 20.100,00 42.000,00 United Kingdom 17.000,00 12.000,00 17.000,00 Turkey 10.339,00 6.500,00 Pakistan 9.494,00 0,00 Russia 8.000,00 2.000,00 Kyrgyzstan 4.000,00 33.000,00 Bulgaria 4.400,00 4.400,00 Afghanistan 2.000,00 India 1.175,00 1.175,00 Total 6.008.620,00 6.203.383,00 5.930.000,00 AFMST (Austrian Federal Ministry of Sustainability & Tourism) BGS (British Geological Survey). USGS (US Geological Survey) 9 FLUORSPAR WORLD PRICES TRENDS 10 BENCHMARKING FLUORSPAR WORLD PRODUCTION Source: CRM_InnoNet Project. http://www.criticalrawmaterials.eu/ 11 FLUORSPAR, A CRITICAL MINERAL FOR THE EU INDUSTRY . Material Stage assessed Supply Risk Economic Importance Import reliance (%) End-of-life Recycling Input Rate (%) Supply used in SR calc Fluorspar Extraction 1.3 4.2 70 1 Global Supply + EU Sourcing 12 SUSTITUTABILITY OF FLUORSPAR Source: CRM_InnoNet Project. http://www.criticalrawmaterials.eu/ 13 PROCESSING 1. Selective mine extraction (and manual separation) 2. Dry densimetric separating tables 3. Dense medium concentration with hydrocyclones “The main problem is the 2,5%” (impurities such as SiO2, P2O5, As, Pb, S, CO3Ca). Each type of geological setting produces different impurities & thus different processing related to the liberation size. Geology & mineralurgy key aspects in new projects. 14 USES & SPECS • ACID GRADE: >97% F2Ca. 52% global use. Used in hydrofluoric acid manufacture (synthesis of fluorocarbons (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs), fluorine-bearing chemicals (pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, non- stick coatings and uranium processing), catalyst for the petroleum industry, plastics production, production & purification of radioactive materials, microchip etching, electronic circuit cleaners, glass etching). • METALLURGICAL GRADE (METSPAR): 75-85% F2Ca. 25% of global use in steel manufacturing as a flux (1-10kg/t of steel). 18% of global use in electrolytic production of aluminium (about 2 kg of cryolite are necessary to produce 1 ton of aluminium. Synthetic cryolite is made mixing hydrofluoric with sodium oxide (Na2O)). Residually in iron foundries (7-8Kg of metal melted). • OTHER USES: 5% of global use. 85-96% F2Ca – GLASS & CERAMIC GRADE: Used in milky or coloured glass or glass fibres, which may contain 10-20% fluorite. Enamels for metallic or ceramic substrates containing between 3-10% fluorite. – CEMENT (40-50% F2Ca): Enhances the clinkering temperature to 50-150 ºC. 15 USES & SPECS Source: Eurofluor (CTEF, Comité Technique Européen du Fluor), the Association representing the major producers and users of 16 hydrogen fluoride (HF) and fluoride chemicals in Europe. USES OF FLUORSPAR IN EUROPE Source: SCRREEN project (http://scrreen.eu/) Solutions for Critical Raw Materials a European Expert Network. D21.Report on the current use of critical raw materials 17 FLUORSPAR IN SPAIN • National Inventory of Fluorspar Resources. IGME (1984): – 262 occurrences (Asturias, Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, Aragón, Vizcaya, Segovia, Guadalajara, Galicia) – Reserves: 5 Mt. 71,4% Asturias, 28% Andalusia, 9,4% Catalonia, 0,1% Aragón. • 1st European & 6th world producer • Main production centres: – Minersa. Caravia & Rivadesella (Asturias) – Minera de Orgiva SL. Orgiva (Granada) 18 FLUORSPAR IN SPAIN Provincia Municipio Pedanía Nombre Obsevaciones Hornachuelos La Cardenchosa. Embalse Los Membrillos Gloria 1 y 2 Asociado a barita Fuente Obejuna Dehesa de San Bartolomé Rosalía Filón de fluorita Fuente Obejuna Casa del Olivar San José y San José 2 Filoniano Fuente Obejuna Piconcillo María Mina de galena Córdoba Cerro Muriano Chaparral Córdoba Córdoba Cerro Muriano Perseverancia Córdoba Cerro Muriano Excelsior Filones cupríferos Belmez El Hoyo Virgen de Gracia Fluorita con calcopirita y crisocola Cardeña El Águila Villaviciosa de Córdoba Blancanieves Filón de fluorita Los Pedroches Los Pedroches Cerro Albardón Espiel Castillo de la Aguja Castillo de la Aguja Sevilla Hornachuelos Fuente de la Parrilleja Fuente de la Parrilleja El Castillo de los Guardas Peroamigo Los Ángeles Filones de galena y esfalerita Morón Cementerio Filoncillos Cómpeta barranco de Los Cazadores La Toña Filoncillos Málaga Cómpeta La Furia Mijas Los Arenales Los Arenales Jaén Alcalá la Real Mures Mures Cantera de áridos Laujar de Andarax Sierra de Gádor La Tolva Dolomía franciscana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Hoya de Martos Dolomía franciscana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Julio Verne o Pecho del Conejo Dolomía franciscana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Los Vaciaderos Dolomía franciscana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor. Pecho de Las Viñas La Cuña Piedra indiana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Lupión Piedra indiana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Berja Piedra indiana Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Victoria Estratoligadas y filones Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra de Gádor Nevi Estratoligadas y filones Laujar de Andarax y Berja Sierra