Silica Sand Market Trends, Price, Share And Growth Rate From 2017 To 2022

The global silica sand market grew at a significant rate in the recent years. The major factor which has contributed in influencing the market growth include its increasing applications in different sectors such as glass industry, foundry, hydraulic fracturing, filtration and abrasives products.

The latest report by IMARC Group finds that the global silica sand market reached a volume of 116 Million Tons in 2016, growing at a CAGR of nearly 8% during 2009-2016. Silica sand, or industrial sand, is the most commonly available varieties of sand on earth. It is rich in quartz, a mineral, which is composed of silicon dioxide. Some other minerals are also present in silica sand in small quantities such as aluminium, feldspar and iron-bearing minerals. Silica sand used for several industrial purposes, other than construction, must contain high proportion of silica and less quantity of other metals. Along with this, the uniformity of grains and physical characteristics (grain size, distribution, grain shape, sphericity, grain strength and refractoriness) also play an important role in the industrial applications of silica sand.

Highlights of the global silica sand market:

The market is driven by its expanding applications across several industries.

The United States is the largest market for silica sand, accounting for the majority of the share.

The market is expected to reach a volume of around 231 Million Tons by 2022.

The market is segmented on the basis of end-use with some of its major end-use industries being glass industry, foundry, hydraulic fracturing, filtration and abrasives. In the glass industry, silica sand is used in the manufacturing of glass containers, flat glass, reinforcement fiberglass, insulation fiberglass and specialty glass. These are further used for various purposes such as manufacture of incandescent, fluorescent lamps, and television and computer CRT monitors; construction, including commercial and residential; and automotive and solar applications.

Apart from this, it is used in the chemical industry to assist the production of silicone gel, sodium silicate and silicon tetrachloride. Silica sand is also combined with other materials and used as an abrasive for grinding, polishing, honing, buffing, cutting, drilling, etc. in a wide range of industrial, domestic and technological applications. According to the report, the market is expected to reach volume of nearly 231 Million Tons by 2022.

The market is also segmented on a regional basis with some of the major markets being the United States, Italy, Germany, Turkey and Australia. Amongst these, the United States represents the largest market for silica sand, accounting for the majority of the shares. Some of the key players are Atlas Resin Proppants, Badger Mining Corporation, Cemex, Fairmount Minerals Limited, FlexFrac Proppant Sand Suppliers, etc.