Cryolite is rare in nature and is usually manufactured artificially.

Cryolite is widely used in the aluminum industry, with an annual consumption of about 700000 tons in the world. As a flux for electrolytic aluminum smelting, cryolite must meet certain requirements in terms of sodium aluminum molecular ratio, impurity content and water content.

The industrial quality requirements of cryolite are:

First of all, the higher the ratio of sodium to aluminum in cryolite, the better, the higher the molecular ratio, the higher the current efficiency of electrolytic aluminum smelting, the less fluorine loss and the less environmental pollution. Moreover, polymers are more suitable for other industries except aluminum industry than cryolite.

Secondly, the content of impurities such as silicon oxide, iron oxide and phosphorus pentoxide in cryolite is low. The existence of these impurities directly affects the quality of aluminum ingot and the current efficiency of aluminum smelting.

Third, the lower the water content of cryolite, the better. The existence of water will increase the consumption of cryolite.

Cryolite is mainly used as flux in aluminum electrolysis; It is also used as a wear-resistant additive for grinding products, which can effectively improve the wear-resistant, cutting and cutting force of the grinding wheel, and prolong the service life and storage time of the grinding wheel.