Spent the weekend doing research, and this will probably give...

Spent the weekend doing research, and this will probably give you all a headache, -- but don't worry no exam after this.

The website provides a better understanding on the higher end 99.99999999% (9N), Silica grade.
https://www.bernreuter.com/polysilicon/manufacturers/
It's almost like "mining" for cryptocurrency, where the cheapest power and biggest processing plant wins. We are not in that game - thankfully; it's bloody ruthless at the top.

It details the major companies that go about crazy with UHPQ silica (Polysilicon). But this is very very power intensive; so even at these prices it ultra competitive for couple bucks cost base (per kg) and only possible with processing plants next to a Power Plant (or even self-own dedicated power plant, or hydro etc).
It's currently being dominated by China at the moment.

Note MT (is metric Ton)



We are obviously positioned in European Market at the moment. So I found this report about "non-critical" commodities quite interesting. Pertaining to silica sands (and Quartz) on pages 462 - 474, it likely gives a better appreciation of the market place. Which iterates Silica Sand in around 30 - 300 Euro per ton (where Quartz is on the higher band)
https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/42883/attachments/3/translations/en/renditions/native



There are handful of smelters in Iceland. Being supplied with cheap hydro electric and geothermal:



Makes sense now that particular through away sentence about iceland, as it ticks the boxes to leverage the Silica market (in very green way)