A review of high purity quartz for silicon production in Australia  


Authors / CoAuthors

Jennings, A. | Senior, A. | Guerin, K. | Main, P. | Walsh, J.

Abstract

<div>High purity quartz (HPQ) is the only naturally occurring and economically viable source for the production of silicon. Silicon is a critical mineral, and a key component in modern technologies such as semiconductors and photovoltaic cells. Critical minerals support the move towards a greater reliance on electrification, renewable energy sources and economic security. The global transition to net zero carbon emissions means there is a growing need for new discoveries of HPQ to supply the silicon production chain. High purity quartz deposits are identified in a multitude of geological settings, including pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, sedimentary accumulations and quartzite; however, deposits of sufficient volume and quality are rare. Quartz is abundant throughout Australia, but the exploration and discovery of HPQ occurrences is notably under-reported, making assessment of the HPQ potential in Australia extremely difficult. This paper presents a much-needed summary of the state of the HPQ industry, exploration and deposit styles in Australia. <b>Citation:</b> Jennings, A., Senior, A., Guerin, K., Main, P., & Walsh, J. (2024). A review of high-purity quartz for silicon production in Australia. <i>Australian Journal of Earth Sciences</i>, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/08120099.2024.2362296

Product Type

document

eCat Id

149294

Contact for the resource

  Resource provider

 

  Point of contact

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

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Keywords

( Project )
  • Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub
( Project )
  • high purity quartz
( Project )
  • high purity silica
( Project )
  • silicon
  • silicon
  • Australia
  • critical minerals
  • mineral systems
  • photovoltaics
  • semiconductor
  • renewable energy
  • net zero
  • high purity quartz
  • Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub
theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
  • Resource geoscience
  • Published_External

Publication Date

2024-08-01T06:53:46

Creation Date

2024-02-28T20:00:00

Security Constraints

Australian Government Security Classification System    

Classification - unclassified

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

Use - license otherRestrictions

Status

completed

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a snapshot of the current state of the high purity quartz (HPQ) industry in Australia. This present contribution details the first collated dataset on the operations, deposits and potential occurrences of HPQ in Australia.

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asNeeded

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

Journal of Australian Earth Sciences

Lineage

<div>This manuscript has already been through one round of reviews having already been submitted to the Australia Journal of Earth Sciences (AJES), where it will be resubmitted on final approval. </div>

Parent Information

Extents

[-44.00, -9.00, 112.00, 154.00]

Reference System

Spatial Resolution

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