| Silica is the most popular mineral which we can | | | | strength. |
| get in large quantity on the surface of the earth. | | | | The main properties of silica are: |
| Most of the minerals found on rocks contain silica | | | | 1. It is a good electrical insulator. |
| as its main component. There are many sources | | | | 2. Thermal stability of silica is very high. |
| where silica can be present i.e. on huge hills, quartz | | | | 3. Has a high resistance to abrasion. |
| crystals, sandstone, quartz sand also known as | | | | Production of silicon: |
| silica sand, quartzite, Tripoli, flint, opal, diatomite | | | | Most of silicon is used in the production of steel |
| etc. Also you can find them in chalcedonic forms | | | | by making them as silicon manganese or |
| such as onyx and agate and so on. Presence of | | | | ferrosilicon. By mixing the gaseous mixture of |
| silica varies with the colour i.e. they are found in | | | | hydrogen and hydrogen chloride and powdered |
| yellow topaz also known as false topaz, purple | | | | crude metal, we can make semiconductor silicon. |
| quartz, milky quartz which is also known as rose | | | | Electronics industries mostly use silica in its |
| quartz and also in smoky quartz. In the initial | | | | working. The main areas in electronics industries |
| stages of building ceramics and silicate glasses, | | | | where silica is used are: |
| silica is used. The two forms in which silica can be | | | | 1. Circuit boards: Because of insulating and |
| obtained are crystalline forms and also in | | | | dielectric properties, fused silica is most widely |
| amorphous form also known as vitreous silica. | | | | used in electronic circuits. |
| They can also be found on silicon compounds or | | | | 2. Semiconductors: Its internal electronic structure |
| silicon's surface in the non crystal form. | | | | makes it a good semiconductor and that is the |
| Crystalline silica can be classified in three different | | | | reason why they are used in applications related |
| forms namely, tridymite, quartz and cristobalite | | | | to integrated circuits. |
| and these crystalline forms comes in two | | | | 3. Refractory Materials: it has a capability to |
| different forms i.e. low and high. Fused silica is the | | | | maintain its strength even at high temperatures |
| only pure silica with around 99.4 - 99.9% of silica | | | | and because of this property they are used as a |
| present in it. This fused silica is mainly used in | | | | good refractory material. This is mainly because |
| industries dealing with electronics and they are | | | | silica has very high melting point, has very high |
| made by plasma arc, carbon electrode fusion or | | | | abrasion resistance and low thermal expansion. |
| gas fired continual extrusion and carbon arc. | | | | 4. Production of glasses: silica is the primary |
| Because of its high insulating and dielectric | | | | material used in the production of silicate glasses. |
| properties, almost 70% of the electronics | | | | They are either mixed with soda and lime which |
| industries use fused silica in its experiments. Some | | | | produces normal glasses which are used in |
| of them also use fused silica in investment casting | | | | windows, jars, bottles, plate glass and light bulbs. |
| or as a refractory material as when kept at high | | | | Also we can manufacture shock resistant glasses |
| temperatures it has a capability to gain back its | | | | when silica is mixed with soda and boron oxide. |