Silicon metal is a semimetal. It is dark gray and has a metallic sheen. Although Silicon Metal looks like a metal, it shows more non-metallic properties in chemical reactions, and its conductivity is between metals and non-metals, that is, semiconductor properties. Silicon is non-conductive below 650°C and is an insulating material; it begins to conduct electricity when it exceeds 650°C, and its conductivity continues to increase as the temperature increases. The main uses of Silicon metal include preparing alloys, producing organic silicon, and preparing polysilicon. Metallurgical Grade Silicon Suppliers can offer metallurgical silicons including silicon metal 553, silicon metal 441, etc.
Most Metallurgical Grade Silicon manufacturers use silica and charcoal as raw materials and are finished in submersible furnaces the smelting process of silicon metal. In China, the output of silicon ranks behind aluminum, copper, zinc and lead, it is the fifth largest non-ferrous metal. According to data, China’s industrial silicon output will be 3.9 million tons in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 12% that year. This data includes metallurgical grade silicon metal and chemical grade silicon metal, as well as off-grade silicon metal. However, the overall operating rate for the year is only about 50%. This shows that there is currently oversupply in the market.
Metallurgical Grade Silicon Suppliers Differences
Most of metallurgical grade silicon suppliers in China locates in Xinjiang, Yunnan, Sichuan and Qinghai provinces. Among them, the northern provinces mostly use thermal power as the energy source to produce silicon, while the southern provinces mostly use hydropower as the energy source. Metallurgical grade silicon manufacturers in South provinces depends on the wet and dry seasons, and their output fluctuates greatly. However, as a leading silicon metal supplier, Anyang Highrise Metal maintains 1000-3000 tons of inventory all year round. Silicon metal lumps and powders can be supplied at any time, regardless of season.
In addition to manufacturers, producers, metallurgical grade silicon suppliers, it also includes silicon traders. For example, in Guangzhou huangpu port and Tianjin xingang port, silicon metal stocks goods exceed 60,000 tons. And silicon factories holds stocks goods also more than 50,000 tons.
Market of Metallurgical Silicon
For metallurgical grade silicon suppliers in China, they face many challenges. First, China’s domestic market continues to be sluggish. Polysilicon production capacity is expanding, and the proportion of silicon metal consumption has increased by 10%. However, polysilicon prices have shown a downward trend. Casting aluminum alloy is the second largest consumption direction of silicon. Since the addition of silicon element can increase the toughness and hardness of aluminum alloy, silicon-containing aluminum alloy can be used in automobiles, motorcycles, doors and windows, aerospace and other fields. However, the aluminum alloy industry, both in China and internationally, has experienced very little growth or even some production reduction.
Costs have also had some impact on metallurgical grade silicon suppliers in China. On the one hand, due to the reform of electricity policy, the cost of electricity will rise. At the same time, high-quality raw materials such as silica are still scarce and prices are difficult to fall. Coupled with competition from silicon metal exporters from other countries such as Norway and Brazil, China’s export volume and export price of metallurgical grade silicon metal have declined.