China Set to End One of Its Last US Dependencies Thanks to 35 Million Tons of High-Purity Quartz Deposit Worth 1.4 Billion Euros | The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel
| Published April 23, 2025
The find may allow China to end its reliance on imports from the United States, particularly from the globally dominant Spruce Pine mine in North Carolina.
China has announced the discovery of over 35 million metric tons of high-purity quartz (HPQ) in the Qinling region of Henan province and the Altay region of Xinjiang. This quartz, characterized by a silicon dioxide content of at least 99.995%, is critical for manufacturing semiconductors, photovoltaic cells, and precision optical components. The find is valued at approximately €1.4 billion and has been officially designated as China’s 174th strategic mineral.
HPQ is the rare, ultra-clean mineral that underpins the global semiconductor and solar industries and it’s exactly what China has just uncovered: two massive deposits totaling over 35 million tons of this strategic resource.
Why is high-purity quartz so important?
For a material most people wouldn’t recognize outside a watch face, HPQ punches far above its weight. This isn’t your average beach grit. With silicon dioxide (SiO₂) content exceeding 99.995% and no trace of iron, titanium, or aluminum, HPQ is one of the cleanest substances on Earth. It’s critical in manufacturing microchips, fiber optics, solar panels – anywhere impurities aren’t just inconvenient but catastrophic.
If you want to grow a flawless silicon crystal, the kind used at the heart of every microprocessor, you need HPQ crucibles to handle the searing heat without contamination. It’s also a must for fiber-optic cables and high-precision optics. Without it, the tech world grinds to a halt.
U.S. supply chain impact
Until now, China imported the bulk of its HPQ – around $1.5 billion annually. Most of it came from the Spruce Pine region in North Carolina, a sleepy town that quietly powered the world’s tech factories. The U.S. supplied roughly 80% of China’s demand, with Norway, Brazil, and India filling in the gaps.
But that dependence ends here, as reported by CCTV News via Global Times.
The discovery of these world-class deposits in Xinjiang and Henan gives Beijing the raw material to supply itself – and potentially, the rest of the world – without relying on anyone else. By securing its own supply, China can potentially undercut U.S. dominance in a material crucial to semiconductors, just as Washington ramps up efforts to rebuild its domestic chip industry. Think of it as Beijing quietly pulling a key thread in the complex web of global tech manufacturing.
What are the geopolitical stakes over HPQ?
This won’t make too many headlines – there are too many war leaks and other scandals dominating eyeballs – but China’s move to control high-purity quartz (HPQ) could chip away at a quiet source of U.S. leverage in tech supply chains. For years, Washington counted on its dominance of this rare material. That edge may now be, ahem, eroding.
China has already classified HPQ as a strategic mineral, alongside rare earths and tungsten, and is building out national infrastructure to refine and manage its own supply. It’s aiming for full independence.
For the U.S. – with Trump locked in ongoing trade disputes and importing around $200 billion in Chinese goods, many heavily taxed – this creates yet another point of imbalance. The trade deficit isn’t getting any smaller.
Strategic Implications
1. Reduction of Foreign Dependency
Historically, China has imported the majority of its HPQ, with over $1.5 billion spent annually, primarily sourcing from the Spruce Pine mine in North Carolina, USA. The domestic discovery allows China to localize its supply chain for semiconductor and solar production, reducing reliance on foreign sources.
2. Advancement in High-Tech Industries
The HPQ’s unique properties—such as high-temperature resistance, low thermal expansion, and optical transparency—make it indispensable for producing semiconductor-grade silicon wafers and other advanced electronic systems. Chinese research institutions have already begun pilot production of quartz reaching 4N5 (99.995%) purity, with some samples achieving 4N8 (99.998%).
3. Establishment of Innovation Centers
To support the transition from discovery to production, the Chinese government plans to launch a national engineering and innovation center focused on HPQ. This facility aims to bring together experts to address every step in the production chain, from exploration to advanced separation technologies.
Economic Implications
1. Cost Reduction in Manufacturing
By replacing imports with domestic supply, China could cut quartz crucible costs by 20% to 30% and lower wafer manufacturing costs by $0.01 to $0.02 per piece.
2. Boost to Domestic Industries
The discovery is expected to contribute to the high-quality development of related strategic emerging industries, enhancing China’s position in the global technology supply chain.
3. Potential Geopolitical Impact
China’s move to control HPQ could affect global technology supply chains and unsettle other nations, particularly the United States, which has been a primary supplier of this critical material.
🧭 Overall Takeaway
China’s discovery of over 35 million tons of high-purity quartz (HPQ) is a strategic game-changer—not just for its tech and energy industries, but for the global balance of power in critical mineral supply chains.
By tapping into this massive domestic reserve, China is set to eliminate one of its final key dependencies on the U.S. for materials essential to semiconductors, solar panels, and advanced electronics. This move aligns with its broader push toward self-reliance in high-tech sectors and reinforces its ambitions to dominate the future of green energy and digital infrastructure.
Beyond economics, the discovery could trigger geopolitical ripples, as Western nations reassess their supply chain vulnerabilities in light of China’s growing control over strategic resources.
In short: This isn’t just a mineral find—it’s a statement of technological independence with global consequences.
SOURCES: DAILY GALAXY – China Set to End One of Its Last US Dependencies Thanks to 35 Million Tons of High-Purity Quartz Deposit Worth 1.4 Billion Euros
PV MAGAZINE – China identifies major high-purity quartz deposits for PV industry
DIARIO AS – China discovers 35 million tons of a forgotten strategic mineral: Beijing has formidable geopolitical and economic weapon
GLOBAL TIMES – China discovers new mineral species vital for strategic emerging sectors like semiconductors, photovoltaics
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