With the growth of global demand for fluorine chemical products and the gradual depletion of high-grade single-type fluorite resources, low-grade fluorite ore as an important strategic resource is ushering in new development opportunities. According to the current status of China's fluorite industry, China's fluorite reserves are about 386 million tons (equivalent to CaF2), of which single-type fluorite reserves are 146 million tons, and rich ore (CaF2 ≥ 65%) accounts for only 7.5% of the total, which means that most fluorite resources are low-grade mines. Faced with this reality, both domestic and foreign countries are actively exploring greener and more efficient production methods to increase the value of low-grade fluorite ores and reduce mining costs.

Mexico, as one of the world's largest fluorite reserves, although its production ranks second, the country also faces the problem of low-grade fluorite mines. Major Mexican producers such as Cora operate large fluorite mines in San Luis Potosi, which produce concentrates that include not only high-grade products but also a certain proportion of low-grade fluorite that is processed for export or domestic industrial use.

South Africa is similarly in that, despite being the world's third largest fluorite reserve country, the fluorite content in its deposits is not always high. The Vergenoeg open-pit hematite-fluorite deposit developed by Vergenoeg Mining Company (Pty) Ltd., a major South African producer, contains approximately 22.5% CaF2 and a high proportion of Fe2O3 (50-60%). Therefore, South Africa also faces the problem of how to effectively utilize these relatively low-grade fluorite mineral resources.

Mongolia is another important fluorite producer with rich fluorite reserves, mainly concentrated in the central and eastern regions. Mongolia is one of the world's largest suppliers of fluorite, mainly exporting concentrates with a CaF2 content of ≤97%. Some mines in Mongolia, such as the Bor-Undur mine, are owned by the state-owned Mongolrostsvetmet LLC, which has both underground and open-pit mines and is capable of producing different grades of flotation concentrate and metallurgical concentrate. This shows that Mongolia is also actively developing and utilizing its low-grade fluorite resources.

In addition to the above-mentioned major fluorite production and reserve countries, there may be development opportunities for low-grade fluorite in some other countries, especially those that are seeking to expand their mining sectors or improve their existing mining structures to cope with changes in the global market. With the advancement of technology, especially the application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence sorting equipment, it will help to more effectively separate and refine low-grade fluorite, thereby increasing the value of such resources and promoting its sustainable development on a global scale.

In terms of technological progress, the development of mineral processing technology has a profound and positive impact on low-grade fluorite, especially with the advancement of photoelectric mineral processing technology, such as the application of MINGDER artificial intelligence sorting machine, which has greatly promoted the effective utilization of low-grade fluorite and the improvement of economic benefits.Impact of mineral processing technology development on low-grade fluoriteore.Traditionally, low-grade fluorite ore has a low CaF2 content (for example, a low-grade fluorite ore contains 25.20% CaF2), and the surface properties of the minerals are similar, and the flotation solution environment is difficult to control, resulting in low concentrate grade and limited recovery rate. With the advancement of mineral processing technology, especially the new processes and technical means developed for low-grade fluorite, these resources can be developed and utilized more efficiently. For example, in terms of grinding fineness optimization, the adjustment of grinding parameters can improve the mineral dissociation effect, thereby improving the recovery rate in the subsequent separation process; and the selection and application of pH adjusters, inhibitors and collectors can help enhance the selective enrichment of target minerals. In addition, with increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements and increasing pressure on rising energy costs, the mineral processing industry is gradually transforming towards green and intelligent directions. As one of the important achievements under this trend, photoelectric mineral processing technology not only improves mineral processing efficiency, reduces environmental pollution caused by the use of chemical agents, but also reduces operating costs and achieves the goal of energy conservation and emission reduction.Photoelectric beneficiation technology is a separation technology based on the difference in the optical properties of the mineral surface.It can quickly and accurately identify and remove unwanted gangue or impurities. In recent years, this technology has developed rapidly and has shown significant application value in many fields.Especially when dealing with complex and diverse non-metallic ores, photoelectric beneficiation performs well and can effectively deal with problems that are difficult to solve with traditional physical or chemical methods.

Among them, the artificial intelligence sorting machine developed by MINGDER represents the current advanced level in the field of photoelectric beneficiation technology.The equipment combines AI deep convolutional neural network (CNN) image analysis and processing technology to establish a detailed feature database before the material enters the sorting system, ensuring that each sorting operation is based on the most accurate data model. When the material to be sorted is evenly laid into the photoelectric system through the feeding system, the latter will conduct a comprehensive scan of the material, and the control system will make a judgment based on the preset rules,and finally blow out high-pressure gas through a high-sensitivity spray valve to complete the precise sorting of the material. This intelligent photoelectric beneficiation equipment has the following outstanding features:

low cost: compared with traditional physical or chemical beneficiation methods, photoelectric beneficiation only consumes electricity, and the cost of beneficiation per ton is about 1 yuan, which is much lower than the cost of traditional methods.

Green and environmentally friendly: almost no pollutants such as wastewater and waste residue are produced during the entire sorting process, which meets the requirements of modern society for environmental protection.

Strong adaptability: by introducing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analysis, the intelligence level and adaptability of the photoelectric sorting system have been greatly improved, and it can handle the sorting needs of more types and complex ore structures.

Significant economic benefits: the application of photoelectric mineral processing technology has greatly reduced construction costs and operating costs, reducing them by 70% and 75% respectively, greatly improving the economic value and sustainability of the mine.

In summary, the development of mineral processing technology, especially photoelectric mineral processing technology, has brought new development opportunities for low-grade fluorite mines. With the continuous innovation and improvement of technology, this type of equipment will play an increasingly important role in future mineral processing.