Fluorspar — Structural brief

Where fluorspar is produced

China is the largest producer of fluorspar, at 58.6 percent of the published world total in 2025^[1]. It is followed by Mexico at 14.7 percent, Mongolia at 14.7 percent and South Africa at 4.0 percent. The USGS puts world production at 10,000 thousand metric tons; the sum of the country figures is 10,235 thousand metric tons, the difference being rounding in the published total.^[1] Reserves are held principally by China (110,000 thousand metric tons), Mexico (68,000 thousand metric tons), South Africa (41,000 thousand metric tons)^[1].

How concentrated supply is

Measured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman index over production shares, fluorspar supply is highly concentrated, with an index of 3,892. The top three producers hold 87.9 percent of output, and a single producer accounts for more than half of supply. An index below 1,500 is conventionally read as unconcentrated and above 2,500 as highly concentrated; the thresholds are the United States merger-review bands, used here as a published reference point rather than as a judgement about market conduct. The United States was entirely reliant on net imports for fluorspar in 2025, with the principal import sources over 2021–24 being Mexico, Vietnam, China, South Africa.^[2] The principal sources of United States imports over 2021–24 were Mexico (64 percent), Vietnam (12 percent) and China (10 percent)^[3].

Trade measures in force

The USGS compilation of export controls effective January 2026 records no measure specific to fluorspar. That is a statement about the compiled list, not a guarantee of open trade: measures framed around ores and concentrates generally, or around a broader commodity group, can still apply.

Recent United States official notices

Federal Register documents naming fluorspar, most recent first. 2025-11-07: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals. Critical minerals are essential for national security, economic stability, and supply chain resilience because they underpin key industries, drive technological innovation, and support critical infrastructure vital for a modern American economy. The United States is heavily reliant on imports of certain mineral commodities from foreign sources, some of which are at risk of serious, sustained, and long-term supply chain disruptions.^[4]