Silica ranges in form from rock, gravel, and sand destined for construction sites, priced at under $5/ton to quartz crystals grown in laboratories for use in electronics, which can sometimes fetch prices of $1000/kg. The majority of the market is represented by silica priced under $100/ton, therefore transportation and delivery costs place a high premium on local sourcing of material, resulting in much more localized markets served by a smaller number of companies.

The global silica demand is expected to double every decade, with three primary segments: speciality, industrial, and sand silica are projected to be worth approximately $6 billion, $32 billion, and $14 billion respectively by 2025. In the petroleum industry alone, more than half of U.S. crude oil production relies on the use of silica as a means of increasing well production output.

The global silica demand is expected to double every decade

With three primary segments: speciality, industrial, and sand silica are projected to be worth approximately $6 billion, $32 billion, and $14 billion respectively by 2025.