A secondary flux is a ceramic flux (such as calcium, barium, magnesium or zinc oxide) which does not act as a good flux (i.e., lower the melting point of the mixture) alone, but is effective when used in combination with other fluxes. They also tend to act as "anti-fluxes" at lower temperatures, and may produce matt or opaque glazes under those conditions. For example, calcium oxide is generally used with sodium or potassium and by itself has little fluxing effect at pyrometric cone 6 but does act as a flux at cone 8.
A primary flux is a metal ion such as sodium which acts as a flux at all temperatures.