High Purity Quartz Sand Market

High Purity Quartz Sand Market for UVC Lighting: Overview

• High purity quartz sand is usually expressed relative to an industry-standard benchmark called IOTA. High purity quartz sand is a vital industrial component required in the production of all high-end electronics applications, semi-conductors, and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. None of these products can be manufactured without reliable supply of consistent-purity high purity quartz sand.
• High purity quartz sand is high purity quartz silica with 99.99% of purity. Availability of high purity quartz sand is relatively low. High purity quartz sand is used in high purity fillers, ceramics, specialty glass, and molding compounds. The processing required to produce high purity quartz sand depends on the amount and type of impurities present. It may include crushing, screening, floatation, acid washes (by using hydrofluoric acid), magnetic separation, and/or other physical, chemical, and thermal techniques. Naturally occurring ultra-pure SiO2 (with purity higher than 99.997%) is suitable for the production of high-purity fillers and silicon metal. It is also utilized in solar panels and semi-conductors. It is geologically rare and more expensive than the lower-grade material. Deposits of high purity quartz sand are rare. The largest known occurrence is in Alaskite igneous rocks near Spruce Pine, North Carolina, the U.S.

Key Growth Drivers of High Purity Quartz Sand Market for UVC Lighting

• Occurrence of health issues due to lack of availability of safe drinking water has been a major reason for the outbreak of diseases in developing countries. Several developing countries have been using chlorination for disinfection of public water since a long time. However, advent of new bacteria such as Cryptosporidium and Legionella Pneumophila, which are resistant to chlorine, has been compelling governments in countries such as China and South Africa to use newer technologies to tackle the health hazards caused by contaminated or unsafe water. UVC disinfection is an effective method of disinfection vis-à-vis various other methods of disinfection.
• China has been focusing on water and wastewater treatment since the last few years in order to improve the health profiles of its citizens. It has been replacing the traditional methods and equipment for water treatment, which include chemical treatment, with newer technologies such as UVC disinfection. The U.S. and countries in Europe are also at the forefront of using the UVC disinfection technique for water and wastewater treatment.
• According to the United Nations (UN), the global population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030. Consequently, public demand for water is expected to rise significantly. Water is also required in agriculture, manufacturing, and energy production. Thus, limited supply of fresh water is anticipated to fuel the need to manage the widening demand and supply gap of water. This has led to an increase in focus on reuse of wastewater.
• Reuse of wastewater can release the burden on existing water supplies. UVC disinfection technology is effective in inactivating most viruses. This method is preferred widely over chemical water disinfection techniques, since disinfection of water using UVC technology does not result in the production of any disinfection by-products.
• Demand for wastewater disinfection using the UVC technology is expected to rise significantly during the forecast period, as UVC disinfection is a user-friendly technique with no residual effect to humans or aquatic life; and the method inactivates pathogens without forming disinfection by-products (DBP).
• The factors mentioned above are expected to drive the UVC disinfection equipment market during the forecast period, thereby boosting the high purity quartz sand market for UVC lighting applications

Key Challenges for High Purity Quartz Market for UVC Lighting

• High purity quartz sand is a highly important mineral, especially for microelectronics and electronics industries. However, it faces the issue of impurity. This has prompted several electronics companies to buy the low purity grade or find substitutes.
• High prices of high purity quartz and ultra-high purity quartz act as a restraint of the high purity quartz sand market for UVC lighting. Prices of low-to-medium-grade high purity quartz sand material typically range from US$ 300 per ton to US$ 500 per ton. The price of high purity grade stands at US$ 5,000 per ton. Ultra-high-purity grade can even be priced higher than US$ 5,000 per ton.
• Major producers of high purity quartz sand are privately held and sell their products on a contract basis. Therefore, prices of high purity quartz are high. Purity and demand levels are important price determinants, with the material sold primarily to Asia-based crucible manufacturers. Most of these are located in China.

Lucrative Opportunities for Players in High Purity Quartz Market for UVC Lighting

• High purity quartz sand is prominently used in manufacture of UV lamps and quartz sleeves, due to its excellent optical transmission properties and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and thermal shocks without deformation
• Quartz sleeves offer protection against air and water flow, breakage, leakage, temperature fluctuations, and environmental hazards. Quartz sleeves form a barrier between the UV lamp and the water being treated. The UV lamp is housed inside the sleeve and the water is on the outside; thus, the lamp’s UV dosage that actually gets to the water depends on how clean and clear the quartz sleeve is.
• High purity quart sand is used in all types of quartz lighting including automotive xenon, halogen, HID, and UPH lamps

Asia Pacific Dominates High Purity Quartz Market for UVC Lighting

• Asia Pacific is a highly attractive region of the global high purity quartz sand market for UVC lighting. China is likely to hold leading share of the market in the region during the forecast period. Wide industrial manufacturing base, high availability of raw materials, broad consumer base, and large population are some of the key factors driving the demand for high purity quartz sand in the country.
• North America is another vital consumer of high purity quartz sand, with the presence of a large number of players as well as manufacturing facilities in the region. The Quartz Corp. is a prominent supplier of high purity quartz sand from sites in Spruce Pine (the U.S.), which is the source of the world's purest quartz sand.

Leading Players in High Purity Quartz Sand Market for UVC lighting

• The global high purity quartz sand market for UVC lighting is dominated by only a few players. Two producers — The Quartz Corp. and Covia Holdings Corporation — constitute more than 80% share of the global production.
• Key players operating in the global high purity quartz sand market for UVC lighting are
  • The Quartz Corp
  • Jiangsu Pacific Quartz Co., Ltd
  • High Purity Quartz Pty Ltd
  • Russian Quartz
  • I-Minerals Inc.
  • Creswick Quartz
  • Nordic Mining ASA
• Most companies focus on improvement and innovation in the manufacturing of high purity quartz sand.