High-purity quartz

High-purity quartz is quartz that has extremely high silicon dioxide (SiO2) purity levels. It is used in the manufacture of fused-quartz crucibles which are used in the manufacture of Polycrystalline silicon for semiconductor and photovoltaic manufacturing, as well other applications.[1]

Definition

There is no precise standard for the exact purity level required for quartz to be considered "high-quality quartz", however purities above 99.9% are required for semiconductor manufacturing.[2]

Applications

In semiconductor manufacturing, high-purity quartz is used to produce crucibles employed in the Czochralski process, in which polysilicon is melted at and drawn into a single-crystal ingot.[3]

Global supply

The largest producer of natural high-purity quartz is the Spruce Pine Mining District in western North Carolina, which has unusually pure deposits.[4] The Spruce Pine mines are operated by the Belgian company Sibelco and the Norwegian company The Quartz Corp. BloombergNEF estimated in 2024 that the Spruce Pine region produced 80 percent of the high purity quartz sand needed for the world's photovoltaic and semiconductor industries.[1]

Following Hurricane Helene, the concentration of the world's supply of high purity quartz in one location drew attention, after the mines were temporarily closed due to the storm damage. A long term disruption in production was considered a serious supply chain vulnerability.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Stone, Maddie (8 October 2024). "The solar supply chain runs through this flooded North Carolina town". Grist. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  2. ^ "Methods of producing high purity silica sand". Maxton Industrial.
  3. ^ "Crucibles and coatings for silicon melting and crystallization: An in-depth review of key considerations". Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2024.112861. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  4. ^ Medina, Eduardo (31 May 2025). "The Gem of a Town in North Carolina That Powers the World's Tech". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  5. ^ Kimball, Spencer (3 October 2024). "Helene quartz mine damage threatens semiconductor chip industry". CNBC. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  6. ^ Sommer, Lauren (1 October 2024). "Spruce Pine just got hit by Helene. The fallout on the tech industry could be huge". NPR. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
Stub icon

This article about a specific mineral or mineraloid is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.