The Expanding High Purity Quartz Market is Trending due to Increasing Demand for Optoelectronic Devices
The high purity quartz market is a multibillion-dollar industry primarily attributed to the increasing demand for optoelectronic and semiconductor devices across diverse sectors. High purity quartz or HPQ, commonly known as fused silica, is an engineered product manufactured by melting the highest purity quartz sand and reforming it into a glass with long-range order and superior mechanical and optical properties than ordinary fused silica. It finds widespread application in industries such as semiconductors, lighting, solar, fiber optics, displays, aerospace and optics due to attributes such as high purity levels exceeding 99.996%, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and excellent transmission in the vacuum ultraviolet region. The Global High Purity Quartz Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 948.2 Mn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.
Key Takeaways
Key players operating in the high purity quartz market are Unimin Corp./Sibelco, The Quartz Corp., Russian Quartz LLC, Kyshtym Mining, Sumitomo, Jiangsu Pacific Quartz Co., Nordic Mining, and High Purity Quartz Pty Ltd. These players account for over 50% of the global production.
The growing demand for semiconductor wafers as well as LED and solar products is fueling the consumption of high purity quartz significantly. The rapidly expanding optoelectronics and semiconductor industries are relying more on high purity quartz for various applications ranging from optics to diffusion barriers.
The high purity quartz market is witnessing increasing focus on global expansion strategies by the key players. Companies are enhancing production capacities as well as building purifying plants in different geographical locations to gain wider access and better serve the rapidly growing and geographically distributed end-use markets.
Market Key Trends
The increasing miniaturization of optoelectronic chips and devices requiring higher purity levels is one of the major trends in the high purity quartz market. The purity levels demanded by various applications such as optics, displays and semiconductors are constantly rising with advancements in technology. This is presenting growth opportunities for specialized players who can offer quartz glass achieving the exacting purity specifications of 99.999% and beyond. The high purity quartz market is also benefiting from the burgeoning demand for 5G infrastructure and increased focus on renewable energy sources, with the solar sector relying heavily on HPQ for critical applications in solar panels, furnace tubes and crucibles.
Porter’s Analysis
Threat of new entrants: New entrants need significant investment to set up mines and processing facilities.
Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers have moderate bargaining power due to availability of substitutes.
Bargaining power of suppliers: Few suppliers operate mines and control resources.
Threat of new substitutes: Substitutes like fused silica, silicon, and boron threaten market.
Competitive rivalry: Intense competition exists among existing players to gain market share.
Geographical Regions
North America accounts for the largest share in terms of value due to presence of established electronics and semiconductor industries. Countries like the US and Canada are major consumers.
Asia Pacific exhibits the fastest growth rate owing to rapid infrastructural development and increasing number of wafer fabrication units in China, South Korea, and other developing nations. Countries like China, Japan, and South Korea are at the forefront of adopting innovative technologies and drive regional market growth.