China's High-Purity Quartz Discovery: 35 Million Tons Unearthed

China Finds a Digital Age Treasure: 35 Million Tons of High-Purity Quartz

China has just made a big discovery — more than 35 million metric tons of something called high-purity quartz (HPQ). This special material was found in two places: the Qinling region in Henan province and the Altay region in Xinjiang. It’s a big deal, because China has mostly been importing this material, especially from the United States. Now, they might not need to anymore.

What Is High-Purity Quartz, and Why Does It Matter?

Quartz might sound like just another rock, but high-purity quartz is a super-clean form of it. It’s made up of 99.99% or more silicon dioxide. That’s as pure as it gets! And it’s not just any rock—it’s a key ingredient in modern technology.

You can think of HPQ as the hidden hero behind the screens, chips, and solar panels we use every da

How Does Quartz Work in Technology?

Here’s what this magical mineral is used for:

Semiconductors – The tiny chips that run our phones, computers, and even cars are made from silicon, which comes from quartz.
Solar Panels (Photovoltaics) – Quartz is used to make the glass and silicon parts of solar panels that capture sunlight and turn it into electricity.
High-Tech Optics – Quartz is super clear and heat-resistant, so it’s great for making lenses and other precise parts used in cameras and medical tools.
Insulation – It doesn’t conduct electricity, making it perfect for keeping systems safe from overheating or short-circuiting.

So yeah, without quartz, the digital world wouldn’t really exist.

How Valuable Is This Find?

Experts say the total value of the quartz found could be around €1.4 billion (about $1.5 billion). Until now, China had to spend over $1.5 billion a year buying this material from other countries — and around 80% of that came from the U.S.

Now with their own supply, China can save money and take more control over making things like smartphones, computers, and solar panels.

What’s Next for China?

Because this type of quartz is so important, China has named it its 174th official strategic mineral. That means it’s considered a must-have for national development and security.

China is also working on improving how they purify and test quartz, to make sure it meets the high standards needed for technology. If they succeed, China could become a big player in the global HPQ market and maybe even influence prices around the world.

In Simple Words:

China found a rare and super pure kind of rock (quartz).
It’s a big win because quartz is used in almost every piece of modern tech.
This find means China can make its own tech parts without relying so much on the U.S.
It could change the balance of power in the global tech industry.