High-purity silica sand, primarily made up of silicon dioxide (SiO₂), goes far beyond being just another critical material – it is essential to a host of modern industries.
Thanks to its unique chemical and physical properties, its use is found everywhere from solar panels and semiconductors, smart screens to glass manufacturing and advanced manufacturing processes, not to mention its role in a host of other technology-driven sectors.
🔎 Let’s explore what makes silica sand so important and how it supports the future of manufacturing, energy, and innovation.
• Quick Overview •
What is silica sand? Silica sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO₂).
Availability & purity: Silica sand is common around the world, but deposits naturally low in impurities – especially iron – that are suitable for high-value industrial applications are much harder to find.
Extraction & refinement: Silica sand is extracted from deposits, then washed and screened to remove basic impurities. Advanced purification methods like magnetic separation (to remove iron) and acid leaching may be required for silica sand that is not high purity. Sourcing naturally low-iron silica significantly reduces the need for intensive refining, improving efficiency and lowering costs.
Use in solar panels: High-purity silica sand is processed into ultra-clear glass and polysilicon, essential materials in solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. High-grade silica supply is critical for the growing solar PV industry.
Other industrial uses: Silica sand is used widely in specialty glass, precision optics, semiconductor chips, and advanced manufacturing.
Why it matters: High-quality silica sand is critical to renewable energy growth, technological innovation, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
• Key Applications •
Renewable Energy: Most prominently, high-purity silica is essential in the production of photovoltaic cells used in solar panels – it is the heart of the solar PV industry.
Advanced Manufacturing: High-purity silica also plays a role in semiconductor fabrication, optical fibre production, 3D printing, ceramic manufacturing, and photovoltaic cell creation.
Glass Production: Silica sand is the principal component in glass manufacturing. Its high purity ensures the clarity and strength of glass products, ranging from windows and bottles to specialised glassware.
• The Importance of High Purity •
Imagine filling up your car with petrol that is diluted with water or another liquid – even a slight contamination may be enough to cause engine and performance problems. High-purity silica sand is much the same.
Even a small amount of impurity in the sand can – sometimes catastrophically – weaken performance in whatever product it is used for, whether it is glass, solar panels, or advanced manufacturing. When this happens it is often not just one product affected, it is every output produced from that tainted batch.
In the semiconductor industry, even trace contaminants can critically disrupt the functionality and viability of components. As a result of this, sourcing a long-term supply of silica sand with high SiO₂ content and low levels of impurities (aka low iron, high purity silica sand) is essential.
In Australia, companies like Diatreme Resources Limited (ASX: DRX) are working hard to secure high-purity supply by developing high-grade silica sand projects, catering to an ever-growing global demand for renewable energy through solar PV capabilities.
• Silica Sand Supply in Australia •
Australia boasts a growing number of silica sand developments, driven by soaring demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, specialty glass, and advanced manufacturing. These include major projects by VRX Silica, Carbine Resources, Diatreme Resources, Industrial Minerals and others.
Among these projects, one stands out in particular – Diatreme’s Northern Silica Project (NSP) in Far North Queensland. Considered one of the most significant high-purity silica ventures in the Asia Pacific region, it is in development to secure a long-term, reliable supply for both domestic and global solar PV industries.
As of April 2024, the project reported a measured resource of 49.5 million tonnes and an indicated resource of 120.5 million tonnes, underscoring its strong potential to meet the world’s growing appetite for high-purity silica.
Diatreme now boasts more than 463 million tonnes of silica sand resources across its Far North Queensland projects.
Underlining the importance of silica sand, the Queensland Government has identified the Cape Flattery area of North Queensland, home to Diatreme’s projects, as a potential silica critical minerals hub.
• Future Outlook •
In terms of the global market, China is currently experiencing a supply constraint for low-iron, photovoltaic-grade silica sand due to rising global demand. Its annual consumption of silica sand is forecast to increase from 23.4 million tonnes in 2023 to approximately 31.6 million tonnes by 2025, driven primarily by sustained growth in solar PV installations.
Solar PV is projected to become the largest renewable energy source worldwide by 2029, accounting for 80% of the growth in global renewable capacity between 2024 and 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. This forecast underlines the growing demand for high-purity silica sand.
– The Bottom Line –
High-purity silica sand is indispensable in various industries, from renewable energy (modern solar panels), glass production and even advanced manufacturing.
Australian companies like Diatreme Resources are playing a crucial role in securing a long-term Australian supply of this vital critical mineral.
Links:
- Diatreme’s Northern Silica Project – https://diatreme.com.au/nsp
- Shifting Sands – Future Mining – https://futuremining.net.au/shifting-sands/
- Silica sand in focus: abundant yet critical? – Queensland Government – https://geoscience.data.qld.gov.au/blog/silica-sand-focus-abundant-yet-critical
- About Silica Sand – VRX Silica – https://vrxsilica.com.au/silica-sand/
- ‘Critical’ silica shines brighter – Future Mining – https://futuremining.net.au/critical-silica-shines-brighter/
- Check out our Rare Earths article too – https://fensomadvisory.com/rare-earths-powering-tomorrows-technology/
- Read on Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silica-sand-shaping-future-fensom-advisory-vlqac/
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