High-Purity Quartz Discovery in Xizang Could Reduce China's Import Dependence
Chinese scientists have identified a rock formation in the Xizang autonomous region as a potential source of high-purity quartz, a scarce mineral critical to semiconductors, optoelectronics, and aerospace technology. The research team found that leucogranites in the Dinggye area could be purified to yield silicon dioxide content above 99.995%, meeting the threshold for high-purity quartz. China is currently the largest importer of high-purity quartz despite being the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels and a major semiconductor producer. The discovery follows earlier breakthroughs in Henan and Xinjiang, where products reached purities of at least 99.995% .
China's push to develop domestic high-purity quartz sources could eventually reshape global supply dynamics for semiconductor-grade silica materials-a development worth monitoring for long-term sourcing strategy.
Source: China Daily, June 2026
