Silicon and oxygen are the earth's two most abundant elements and together they make silica, one of the earth's three most common rock forming minerals.
Silica occurs in three main crystalline forms. The principal occurrence is as the mineral quartz but it also occurs in other rarer mineral forms known as tridymite and cristobalite. It is a very durable mineral resistant to heat and chemical attack and it is these properties that have made it industrially interesting to man.
The first industrial uses of crystalline silica were probably related to metallurgical and glass making activities a few thousand years bc. It has continued to support human development throughout history, being a key raw material in the industrial revolution especially in the glass, foundry and ceramics industries. Silica contributes to today's information technology revolution being used in the plastics of computer mouses and providing the raw material for silicon chips.
For industrial use, pure deposits of silica sand capable of yielding products of at least 95% silica are required. Often much higher purity values are needed. Deposits where such sand can be found are comparatively rare in the uk.

Silicon and oxygen are the earth's two most abundant elements and together they make silica, one of the earth's three most common rock forming minerals.
Silica occurs in three main crystalline forms. The principal occurrence is as the mineral quartz but it also occurs in other rarer mineral forms known as tridymite and cristobalite. It is a very durable mineral resistant to heat and chemical attack and it is these properties that have made it industrially interesting to man.
The first industrial uses of crystalline silica were probably related to metallurgical and glass making activities a few thousand years bc. It has continued to support human development throughout history, being a key raw material in the industrial revolution especially in the glass, foundry and ceramics industries. Silica contributes to today's information technology revolution being used in the plastics of computer mouses and providing the raw material for silicon chips.
For industrial use, pure deposits of silica sand capable of yielding products of at least 95% silica are required. Often much higher purity values are needed. Deposits where such sand can be found are comparatively rare in the uk.