High-purity quartz has officially become China's 174th mineral type, as several deposits of the valuable mineral have been discovered in the country, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced on Thursday.
High-purity quartz has high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion, high insulation, and light transmittance, and can be processed and purified to obtain silicon dioxide with a purity of no less than 99.995 percent.
Silicon dioxide is in high demand in high-tech industries such as semiconductors and photovoltaics, according to Mao Jingwen, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
An official from the Ministry of Natural Resources said that deposits of high-purity quartz have been discovered in several regions, including the eastern part of the Qinling Mountains in central China's Henan Province and Altay in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The discovery of these deposits is part of a new round of strategic actions aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral prospecting.
Globally, high-purity quartz mines are primarily distributed in countries including the United States, Russia, Norway, and Australia.
The designation of the new mineral type is important for its protection and development and is also significant for ensuring the security of the country's high-tech industry and supply chains, according to the official.
China establishes new mineral type vital for high-tech industries
