The domestic fluorite price rose continuously. As of the 16th day, the average domestic fluorite price was 3387.5 yuan/ton, up 0.37% from the beginning of the week’s price of 3375 yuan/ton. Since April, the price of fluorite has risen unilaterally. At present, the price is at the highest point in the year.

Supply side: supply reduces the difficulty of spot fluorite

The operating rate of the domestic supply side has declined. On the one hand, the backward mines will continue to be eliminated, and on the other hand, the mineral survey work is still full of difficulties in terms of new mines. Mining enterprises are facing increasingly stringent safety and environmental protection requirements, resulting in insufficient commencement of fluorite mines, shortage of domestic fluorite raw materials, and limited commencement of fluorite flotation. On the other hand, as the temperature drops, fluorite enterprises in the north gradually stop working, and the spot supply continues to decline. In addition, due to the serious epidemic in some areas, fluorite transportation is difficult. The supply of fluorite is very tight, and the supply of fluorite is difficult to obtain. The price of fluorite has repeatedly hit new highs in the year.

Demand side: the price of hydrofluoric acid remains high with the increase of inquiry

The price trend of the downstream hydrofluoric acid market remained high. As of the 16th, the price of the hydrofluoric acid market was 12757.14 yuan/ton. This week, the price trend was temporarily stable. The domestic hydrofluoric acid market maintained a high trend. Some enterprises reported that the supply of hydrofluoric acid was tight. The high price of the hydrofluoric acid market formed a certain positive support for the upstream fluorite market, and the price trend of the fluorite market rose.

Fluorite export volume remains high

In the second half of the year, overseas mines in Canada and Mexico stopped production, overseas fluorine chemical giants were generally out of stock, and domestic acid grade fluorite received more and more inquiries from international buyers, which aggravated the shortage of domestic fluorite supply. In the first three quarters of 2022, China’s total export of fluorite with calcium fluoride content ≤ 97% is about 174500 tons, an increase of 60.12% over the same period last year; The total export volume of fluorite with calcium fluoride content>97% in China is about 172,100 tons, up 397.32% over the same period last year. The export volume of fluorite has increased significantly, supporting the higher price.

In addition to the traditional demand of the refrigerant industry in the downstream, fluorite, as an important mineral raw material for modern industry, has been continuously developed in emerging fields. It is also used in strategic emerging industries such as new energy and new materials, as well as in national defense, nuclear industry and other fields, including lithium hexafluorophosphate, PVDF, graphite cathode, photovoltaic panels, etc. With the demand of new energy, semiconductor and other fields driving, the outlook of the fluorochemical industry chain has been supported in the long run.

Future market forecast: the northern fluorite enterprises have entered the production suspension period. In addition, the supply of raw material fluorite ore is tight in the near future, the stock keeping sentiment of hydrofluoric acid enterprises is high, and the new energy, semiconductor and new material industries are developing rapidly, supporting the demand for fluorite in the long term. Chen Ling, an analyst of the business community, believes that there is still room for the price of fluorite market to rise.