Before we delve into the twenty countries that play a significant role in the exportation of quartz, it is essential to understand what this mineral actually is. According to reports by the Product Complexity Index (PCI), quartz is the 1018th most traded product and the 1097th most complex product. Notably, countries like China, Turkey, and India are the leading contributors to the global quartz export market. Quartz is also known by other names, including:
- Feldspar
- Cryolite
- Mica
- Fluorspar
- Chiolite
Keep in mind that quartz is classified as a four-digit HS92 product.
Quartz – Explained
Quartz is an abundant and widely distributed mineral found on the Earth’s surface. It can form at every temperature and is present in metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks. Quartz is highly resistant to chemical and mechanical weathering, making it the most dominant mineral on mountaintops. It is also a major constituent of rivers, desert sand, and beaches. Despite its brittle tenacity, quartz is an oxide mineral and ranks second in abundance in the Earth’s crust. Quartz comes in diverse colors, varieties, and transparencies, including:
- Rose quartz
- Tiger’s eye
- Onyx
- Amethyst
Quartz can be found in forms ranging from opaque to transparent and from colorless to black, depending on the type.
Extraction and Processing of Quartz for Export
1. Extraction from Quartz Mines
Quartz extraction involves open-pit mining, where minerals are extracted directly from a burrow. Mining operations typically use backhoes and bulldozers to remove the clay and soil surrounding the quartz, exposing the mineral. In rare cases, explosives are used when quartz is located deep underground. However, this method is seldom employed because sudden temperature changes caused by explosives can damage the mineral. Once exposed, quartz is extracted using small hand tools such as chisels and picks.
At Unique Crystal Minerals (UCM), we extract most of our quartz from mines in Rajasthan, India.
2. Processing and Manufacturing
After mining, quartz undergoes an extensive industrial cleaning process to remove physical flaws and chemical impurities. It is then screened and crushed into different sizes based on its intended use. The crushed quartz is separated using a vibrating screen, ground using a ball mill, and classified into various sizes. Quartz powder is produced by crushing pure lumps of quartz into a fine powder with a grinder mill.
3. Shipping for Export
Processed quartz is shipped in large shipping containers for ocean transport, while trains and large trucks are used for land transport. When shipping semi-precious quartz gemstones, extra care is taken to prevent damage. At Unique Crystal Minerals, we export most of our quartz in shipping containers.
Applications of Quartz
Quartz is one of the most useful natural minerals, thanks to its chemical and physical properties. It has a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, making it highly durable. Quartz’s heat resistance and electrical properties make it valuable in electronic products. It is also used as a gemstone due to its color, transparency, and luster.
Quartz has diverse applications, including:
- Stone and jewelry carvings (for semi-precious gemstones)
- Glass production, fiberglass, and abrasives (for quartz sand)
- Water purification (for pure, fine quartz sands)
- Electronics (televisions, computers, watches, clocks, and stereos)
Quartz generates an electric voltage when placed under pressure, controlling the frequencies of electric impulses in these devices. In the petroleum industry, quartz sand slurries are used in hydraulic fracturing to hold open fractures in reservoir rocks, facilitating the flow of natural gas into the wellbore.
Top 10 Importers of Quartz in 2017
According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the top importer of quartz in 2017 was Norway, accounting for 9.7 percent of imports. Other leading importers included:
- China: 8 percent
- Japan: 7.4 percent
- United States: 6.3 percent
- South Korea: 5.3 percent
- Malaysia: 4.3 percent
- France: 4.4 percent
- Germany: 2.8 percent
- Russia: 2.3 percent
- Belgium: 1.6 percent
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