Fluorite – Strategic mineral of the green energy era Opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its position in the high-tech mineral supply chain

As the global energy transition accelerates, fluorspar is establishing itself as an essential mineral for many modern technologies.

Fluorite – The foundation material of future technology

From its traditional role in steelmaking and aluminum refining, fluorspar is now a key material present in almost every sector of the cleantech industry. It is an essential raw material for the production of electrolytes for batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, semiconductor etching agents and the next generation of low-global-warming refrigerants.

Highly refined fluorspar (acidspar) is gradually moving beyond its traditional industrial role to become a strategic link in the new energy value chain.

China tightens control – a global warning signal

According to Visual Capitalist, China currently accounts for nearly 70% of global fluorspar production, playing a dominant role in both mining and processing. Along with the increasingly obvious trend of resource protection, the country has begun to tighten fluorspar exports, after doing the same with tungsten and antimony – two other important minerals in the group of “strategic materials”.

Fastmarkets data shows that in 2023, China's fluorspar exports will fall sharply, while its metspar imports will increase by 34%, surpassing the one million ton mark. This move will force high-tech materials manufacturers around the world to find more reliable alternative sources, starting a restructuring of the global fluorspar supply chain.

The Nui Phao polymetallic mine is one of the largest fluorspar deposits on the planet, and also contains many strategic minerals such as tungsten, bismuth and copper.

Demand increased sharply, supply has not been able to adapt in time

In the wake of the global shift to clean technology, highly refined fluorspar (acidspar) is moving from its traditional industrial role to become a strategic link in the new energy value chain. With much of China’s fluorspar production kept domestically to fuel its booming electric vehicle and semiconductor industries, global supplies are dwindling, forcing international producers to look for more reliable alternatives.

According to Fastmarkets, global demand for fluorspar could increase by 25–30% in the coming years, driven by the boom in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS). Notably, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆) – a fluorspar-derived compound – is an essential component in lithium-ion batteries. In addition, fluorspar is also a raw material for the production of pure hydrofluoric acid (HF) used in semiconductors, fluoropolymers and refrigerants for EV and renewable energy applications.

As demand outpaces supply expansion, fluorspar prices are expected to remain high, cementing the mineral’s position alongside lithium, cobalt and tungsten – pillars of the global green economy and clean technology.

Vietnam – a new source of stability

Apart from China, very few countries have both abundant fluorspar reserves and the capacity to refine them on an industrial scale. Vietnam is one of them. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS, 2022), Vietnam ranks 5th in the world in fluorspar production, accounting for about 2.7% of global production. This advantage is concentrated in the Nui Phao polymetallic mine ( Thai Nguyen province) - one of the largest fluorspar mines on the planet, and also contains many strategic minerals such as tungsten, bismuth and copper.

The Nui Phao project, operated by Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT), a member of Masan Group, helps Vietnam form a rare integrated and sustainable fluorspar supply chain outside of China – from mining, processing to producing pure acidspar for high-tech industries.

In 2022, MHT co-organized the International Fluorine Forum with IMFORMED, attracting nearly 200 international experts to attend and visit Nui Phao mine.

In 2022, MHT co-organized the International Fluorine Forum with IMFORMED, an important milestone that put Vietnam on the world fluorine map. The event attracted nearly 200 international experts to attend and visit the Nui Phao mine. By 2024, MHT continued to expand its strategic cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Fluorine Korea, providing 70,000 tons of acidspar per year for the semiconductor and battery sectors in Asia - a testament to Vietnam's competitiveness and new position in the high-tech mineral value chain.

From natural resources to strategic value

The era of easy resource extraction is over. In a clean energy economy, a nation’s value lies not in how many resources it has, but in its ability to transform them into engines of innovation and sustainable development.

Vietnam ranks 5th in the world in fluorspar production, accounting for about 2.7% of global output. This advantage is concentrated in the Nui Phao polymetallic mine (Thai Nguyen province).

Amid the wave of restructuring the global supply chain, Vietnam is gradually asserting its position in the field of high-tech materials. With pioneering enterprises such as Masan High-Tech Materials and advantages from strategic minerals such as fluorspar, tungsten, and bismuth, that is the foundation for Vietnam to create growth associated with responsibility and a green future.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/florit-khoang-san-chien-luoc-cua-ky-nguyen-nang-luong-xanh-co-hoi-de-viet-nam-khang-dinh-vi-the-trong-chuoi-cung-ung-khoang-san-cong-nghe-cao-10395947.html