Cristobalite Market

Cristobalite Market: Overview

• Cristobalite is a polymorph of quartz that is composed of the same chemistry as SiO2; however, it has different structures. It is commonly found in volcanic rocks. Good specimens of crystals are found in the crevices and cavities of host rocks.
• Crystallite is commonly found in volcanic rocks; therefore, identification by its color and crystal habit becomes easy. It can be white, light gray, light brown, light yellow, and blue gray in color. It is formed from molten rocks at a temperature range above 1470°C to the boiling point of silica.       
• Increase in R&D activities in transparent ultrafine mineral filler technologies has created opportunities for cristobalite in artificial marble and paints & coatings industries

Drivers of Cristobalite Market

• Engineered stones are composed of crushed stones bounded by strong adhesives. Engineered stones include silica sand and powder, quartz grits, cristobalite, glass, polyester, and pigments of natural marble and additives.
• Engineered stones can be combined with cristobalite. This provides high quality visual and functional results. Cristobalite improves appearance in line with design trends, including greater transparency, whiteness, and brightness. It also helps improve the hardness and durability of a surface; and resistance to scratching, staining, heat, and chemicals. Engineered stones are employed in various applications in kitchen countertops, facades, floorings, and bathrooms. Cristobalite is also utilized as a filler in these applications.
• According to the latest annual report published by Sibelco in 2018, the demand for cristobalite once again surpassed supply, owing to the high demand from the engineered stone market. This helped manufacturers open new kilns in Belgium. In collaboration with its customers, Sibelco continues to develop new cristobalite solutions for the market in order to help customers enhance key aspects of a surface’s visual appearance such as transparency, whiteness, and brightness.
• Demand for cristobalite is high in the engineered stone market, as it improves the functionality of stones. Consistent rise in the demand for engineered stones is boosting the demand for cristobalite.
• Thus, an increase in the demand for nickel-based chemicals and rise in catalysts & automotive applications are likely to boost the demand for cristobalite during the forecast period

Key Challenges for Cristobalite Market

• High cost of processing of wollastonite in the commercial form is key challenge currently facing the cristobalite market. Associated minerals include in wollastonite ore, such as tremolite, garnets, vesuvianite, and calcite, which needs to be removed to produce a pure form of wollastonite. These unwanted associated minerals consists 60% in volume composition of wollastonite ore. Wollastonite needs to be processed in order to be useful for various applications.
• The processing of wollastonite into commercial grades often requires beneficiation to reduce or remove unwanted minerals. The ore is first crushed and milled to segregate mineral phases. Some associated minerals of wollastonite ore, such as garnets and diopsides, common discoloring components of wollastonite ores, are weakly magnetic and can be removed with high intensity magnetic separators. Calcite is removed by flotation. This issue has prompted several wollastonite producing companies to produce low cost alternative of cristobalite.
• Cristobalite carries serious health hazards when it comes in contact with humans for a prolonged time. In 1996, the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that cristobalite dust was carcinogenic to humans and could cause cancer.
• Cristobalite can cause various health hazards such as irritation to eyes and nose. It can also lead to lung cancer, reproductive damage, and tuberculosis. Therefore, governments of various countries across the globe have enacted stringent government regulations on the production of cristobalite. This is restraining the market.
• Cristobalite can be replaced by quartz and other polymorphs such as barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth, dolomite, feldspar, glass powder, kaolin, mica, microspheres, silica, and talc
• Quartz and other polymorphs have similar chemical composition and physical and chemical properties as cristobalite. This can adversely affect the demand for cristobalite. Furthermore, quartz and other polymorphs are less expensive than cristobalite.
• Factors mentioned above have been adversely affecting the global cristobalite market for the last few years

Lucrative Opportunities for Players in Cristobalite Market

• Demand for cristobalite is high in the paints & coatings industry due to its various characteristics such as relatively high Mohs hardness of 6.5, high brightness, relatively low refractive index, easy wettability, high inertness in various media, and transparency for UV-radiation (suitable for UV-curing processes)
• According to the World Paint & Coatings Industry Association, the global paints & coatings industry stood at US$ 164.9 Bn in 2018. As per the American Coatings Association, the paints & coatings market was valued at about US$ 25 Bn in 2018. Paints & coatings is a rapidly expanding industry. It includes architecture coatings, industrial coatings, and special purpose coatings (automotive refinish coatings, industrial maintenance coatings, traffic marking paints, and marine paints). This has significantly boosted the demand for cristobalite as an additive and filler.
• When added to paints and coatings, cristobalite provides abrasion, scratch resistance, and chemical resistance. It also offers excellent resistance against mechanical damage. Cristobalite is inert, and provides good chemical resistance compared to other conventional fillers. Versatility of cristobalite, along with its superior properties are key drivers of the global cristobalite market.
• Cristobalite is a filler with significantly high brightness. This contributes to the visibility of road marking paints. Coarse grades of cristobalite provide a roughness to the substrate, making it less slippery in wet conditions. This helps provide better visibility in wet conditions. Cristobalite offers resistance against UV radiation, which helps reduce the degradation of coatings.

Domination of Asia Pacific in Cristobalite Market

• Asia Pacific is the leading consumer of cristobalite across the globe. The region is expected to lead the global cristobalite market, in terms of volume and value, during the forecast period. Rapid urbanization and rise in demand for cristobalite are boosting the demand for cristobalite in Asia Pacific.
• China and India are major consumers of cristobalite, as these are rapidly expanding economies in Asia Pacific. The region is also the leading producer of paints and coatings, plastics, and adhesives. Furthermore, glass and ceramics industries in Asia Pacific have been expanding significantly.

Leading Players in Cristobalite Market

• Key players operating in the global cristobalite market include Sibelco, Hoben International Limited, and GoldStar Powders India
• Based in Antwerp (Belgium), Sibelco is the largest producer of cristobalite, with production capacity of 70,000 tons/year. In October 2017, the company officially opened its third cristobalite kiln in Belgium in order to cater to the rising demand from customers across the globe. It adopts the latest technology to synthesize cristobalite.