By Faiza Tehseen

ISLAMABAD, Aug 22 (INP-WealthPK): Pakistan has the potential to become a top feldspar exporter by adopting modern exploration and marketing techniques.

Over 6 billion tonnes of deposits of both potassic and sodic feldspar are estimated in the vicinities of Mingora and Buner districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Despite having a great potential, a substantial import bill is paid for this commodity.   

During the fiscal year 2020, Pakistan exported feldspar worth $11.2 million as the 19th largest exporter, and it was the 177th most exported item in Pakistan. While in the same year Pakistan’s imports of the same commodity stood at $1.31 million as the 53rd largest importer, and it was the 831st most imported item in the country. 

The global feldspar market is expected to reach $755.1 million at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% by the year 2027 from $517.4 million in 2021. China, Turkey, and Italy produce almost 55% of globally needed feldspar. Feldspar resources are found in more than 70 countries in the world.

Alkali and Alumina contents found in feldspar make them industrially valuable. It is widely used as a flux; glazing agent for Chinaware and other ceramics, as a filler in paints, adhesives, plastics, sealants, rubber, glass-making, and enamels, etc. 

Principal Geologist in Global Mining Company and former General Manager Geology in Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) Muhammad Yaqub Shah told WealthPK that feldspar in sufficient quantities is reportedly available in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan, whereas any commercial scale deposits from the rest of the country, i.e., Sindh and Punjab province, have not been reported so far. He said feldspars are incredibly abundant to the extent that they roughly make up 60% of the earth’s crust.

“Feldspars are found in almost every section of the rock cycle. Many feldspars are igneous as they commonly make a solid solution series from magma as it cools,” Yaqub Shah said.

He elaborated that feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium silicate minerals, containing sodium, potassium, calcium, and sometimes barium in form of solid solution series.

“Two combinations of feldspar are the dominant ones i.e., potash feldspar and soda feldspar. Potash feldspars have more commercial value than the other feldspars as they are widely used as basic raw material in the manufacturing of ceramic wares both as value and glaze material. Soda and potash feldspars are also interchangeably used as fluxing material as well as in the glazes," he stated.

Gemmologist and miner Zakirullah told WealthPK that feldspars as quartz can also be called the mother of gems and rare crystals e.g., perthites, Oregon sunstone, sanidine, adularia, moonstone, labradorite, albite, andesine, bytownite, microcline, kunzite.

“A great quantity of kunzite is exported from Pakistan after heat treatment. Rarely feldspars can be of colourless gem quality,” he said.

“Despite its abundance, some gem qualities found in feldspar pockets are very rare. All crystalline rocks are rich in feldspar except ultra-basic rocks or kimberlites. I myself have found many rarities from this kingdom of gems. Feldspars are crystallized from both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks,” Zakirullah said.

Pakistan needs to not only spot and quantify the feldspar deposits, but also promote them superbly to bring greater dividends for the national economy.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk