CeramicMaterials

Silica(SiO2)isanimportantrawmaterialfortheproductionofglass,glazes,enamels,refractories,abrasivesandwhiteware.
MajorSiO2sourcesareinthepolymorphicformquartz,whichistheprimaryconstituentofsand,sand-stone,andquartzite.QuartzisthesecondmostabundantmineralinEarth’scrust.
Themajoruse(accountingforabout38%ofU.S.production)isinglassmanufacture.Forexample,incandescentlampbulbsaremadeofasoda-limesilicateglasscontainingabout70wt%SiO2.
TheSiO2contentofhigh-qualityopticalglassescanbeashighas99.8wt%.
TheUnitedStatesisthelargestproducerofindustrialsandintheworld.
AnnualproductionofsilicaintheUnitedStatesisapproximately30Mt,valuedataround$700million.