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Emerging trends in the industry – deriving fluorine
from phosphate
Alain Dreveton (Eng. INSA Toulouse, DEA)
AD Process Strategies SARL
Rue Chaponnière 9 CH-1201 Geneva / Switzerland
[email protected]
www.adpro-stg.com
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Emerging trends in the industry – deriving fluorine from phosphate
General trends in mining sectors of fluorspar and phosphate
Re-industrialization of the fluorine industry outside China?
FSA as a potential source of HF
Cost comparison between FSA and fluorspar as source of HF
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HF, Closure Amherstburg, Overcapacity China, New cap.
Aluminium fluoride, Overcapacity China, New cap.
STF affected by crisis of Solar Industry
HFO-1234yf replaces HFC-134a
Markets overview: drivers & News
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HFC-125, etc
PVDF
LiPF6 & Li-based Electrolytes
LiPF6, US plant cancelled
FEC
NF3, F2, UHP HF
Battery, Solar, Polymers
CDM HFC-23 another scandal to come
Safety issues
Environmental issues
Markets overview: drivers & News
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F abundance
Fluorine as
abundant as P,
C, S, Mn,…
more abundant
than Cl, Cu,…
Not qualified of
critical
Exploration?
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Three raw materials
Fluoride from Fluorspar
Fluoride from DUF6
Fluoride from Phosphate
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Fluorspar
Fluoride from Fluorspar
CASE OF EUROPE
Production in Spain, Germany, UK, Bulgaria
Exploration in Sweden, France, Germany, etc (& Norway)..
AD Process Strategies promotes up to 10 fluorspar projects
- Largest is up to 20 millions tonnes
- At early stage of development to the level of feasibility study
- Know-how is available
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DUF6
Babcock Wilcox plants operating in Piketon (OH) & Paducah (KY)
INTL Isotopes (another project under planning still to come using
Starmet patents)
Rosatom commissions a small plant for DHF and AHF using Areva
know-how
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DUF6
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Fluoride from phosphate
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Fluoride from phosphate
AGF
G. Wengfu 20’000 MTPA AHF (…future 80’000?)
Dazhou 10’000 MTPA AHF
Zijin 20’000 MTPA AHF
G. Kailin 20’000 MTPA AHF
Hubei Xingfa 3 x 20’000 MTPA AHF
At least 2 more cooperations in Yunnan, China
STF
PCS Phosphate/ SunEdison (MEMC) 30’000 MTPA STF (US)
AlF3 & Fluoride
wet process not discussed
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Fluoride from phosphate
The largest phosphate producers have studied HF from FSA
Morocco, Jordan, RSA, KSA, etc and
none have implemented the technology?
AD Process Strategies
is in touch with this industry
for potential projects
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Fluoride from phosphate
General trends in mining sectors of fluorspar and phosphate
Phosphate industry is expanding in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan,
China, etc
Mega project are financed by International Institutions, Consortium of
Banks…
Fluorspar are smaller projects promoted by Juniors / start-up
companies
Established companies are strengthening their positions
Technology not yet assimilated
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Process HF and AlF3 from fluosilicic acid 1G
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Process HF and AlF3 from fluosilicic acid 2G
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Process HF and AlF3 from fluosilicic acid 3G
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Process HF and AlF3 from fluosilicic acid
Phosphate
Production
(fluorochemical
production)
Generation
of AHF
4G
- Standalone plant at Phosphate site
- Removal of water
Safe & cheap
Transportation
- Standalone plant at End-user site
- On-demand production AHF
- Safe, no byproduct, no pollution,..
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Economics of FSA versus CaF2 - assumptions
Capacity 20’000 MTPA AHF, typical case
Capital cost estimated for Emerging Countries
Plant & Utilities as required
Prices eg raw materials, chemicals per end 2012
Logistics for shipping overseas
Interest rate @7.5% per annum
All assumptions for Emerging Countries
Economics (as a function of price of AGF 97% CaF2 Min)
Economics (as a function of price of FSA 100% H2SiF6)
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Economics of HF from fluorspar - features
High mining costs for fluorspar exploration, mining,
Beneficiation,..
Fluorspar is expensive
Sulphuric acid & oleum are consumed
End-use for anhydrite gypsum is required
Fluorspar technology is mature, cost effective
Plant is Standalone
Site preferably at mine, at harbor for AlF3
Site preferably at end-user site for AHF
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Economics of HF from fluosilicic acid - features
Savings of significant high mining costs
Recovery of fluosilicic acid >~ 21%
Technology relatively new
Raw material are free except ATF for AlF3 manufacture
Fluosilicic acid can be cheap
Sulphuric acid is not consumed
No critical waste – Silica is a potential product
Chillers for cooling water are included
Plant is Not Standalone as large volume of diluted sulphuric
acid has to be fed to the Phosphoric acid plant
Arsenic removal is required for AHF manufacture only
AHF containment tank and fleet of ISO tank containers required
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Information on fluorspar (AGF) price
China USD/MT 263.-
October 2013
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Competitive advantage
only against (2) and (3) for
Phosphoric Acid Producers
(FSA is free)
FSA cheap
(1) AGF mine owner
(2) (2) AGF actual price in China (OK)
(3) AGF traded on World Market (OK)
Economics of hydrofluoric acid
(2)
(1)
(AGF) (3)
(FSA)
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Economics of hydrofluoric acid (2)
(2)
(1)
(AGF) (3)
(FSA)
Not competitive against
fluorspar mine owners
FSA medium price
(FSA purchased)
(1) No advantage versus AGF
mine owner (In China or outside)
(2) In competition with AGF in China
(3) Competitive versus
AGF traded on World Market
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Economics of hydrofluoric acid (3)
(2)
(1)
(AGF) (3)
(FSA)
Not competitive
FSA too high price
(FSA purchased)
(1) No advantage versus AGF
mine owner (I/O China)
(2) In competition with AGF in China
(3) Competitive versus
AGF traded on World Market
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Economics of FSA versus CaF2 - safety
Fatal accident in South Korea
Killed 5
Derailment in USA
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AHF containment tank and fleet of ISO tank containers
- Safety first -
Economics of hydrofluoric acid - safety
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Economics of HF - conclusions
Better is production of AlF3 w or w/o HF
FSA Capacity is an advantage
AlF3 producers (AGF) non integrated are at risk
Recommend to study in detail projects
Locate downstream productions at fertilizer sites eg HFCs
Plan environmental units from early conceptual stage
Alliances / JV to favor for AHF
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Process Technologies
Promotion Industrials & mining projects (JV)
Trading of minerals
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