Construction Silica Sand Market, By Type (Less than 40 Mesh, 40-70 Mesh, and More than 70 Mesh), By Application (Concrete Aggregates, Road base & Coverings, and Fill), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Market Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2030

Construction Silica Sand Market size accounted for US$ 20.41 billion in 2020 and is estimated to be US$ 36.85 billion by 2030 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 6.10%.

The group of minerals that includes silicon and oxygen is represented by silica. It has been discovered that silica sand is a grain-like substance made primarily of quartz with traces of coal, clay, and other minerals. A form of quartz called silica sand breaks down into tiny sand grains as a result of wind and water erosion. It is used for many different things, including the production of glass, building work, water filtration, metal casting, and foundries, to name a few. It has been noted that silica sand has been utilised both as a raw material and in a number of other applications for the production of glass. Some characteristics of silica sand include chemical inertness, a high melting point, and exceptional hardness. The phrase "industrial sand" is typically used to describe high purity silica sand products with precise size. Compared to typical concrete and asphalt gravels, it is a more exact product.

The group of minerals known as silica, which is made up of of silicon and oxygen, is named after the two elements that make up the majority of the earth's crust. Despite having the chemical formula SiO2, silica can be found in a variety of crystalline forms. Although it is most frequently found in the crystalline condition, it can sometimes occur in an amorphous form as a result of weathering or plankton fossilisation. One of the most popular forms of industrial sand is this one. It is extracted from quartz, which is gradually broken down into tiny granules by wind and water.  

Rising demand for industrial silica sand

The primary drivers promoting growth of the industrial silica sand market are rising demand for industrial silica sand due to its mechanical qualities, particularly in the developing countries, and increased usage of silica sand in the glass and foundry sectors. The market for industrial silica sand will have attractive growth prospects due to the rising number of industrial product innovations, the introduction of lightweight glazing glass, and enhanced technologies. Other significant factors boosting the industrial silica sand market growth rate include the rising deployment of advanced nanotechnology in flat glass and the growing focus of the major manufacturers on technological advancements. Rising attention is being paid to automotive production and sales, particularly in developing economies like China and India.

The market for industrial silica sand could face a number of challenges to expansion from heavy pricing pressure on producers and changes in the cost of raw materials. The market growth rate for industrial silica sand will be further hindered by the rising demand for sand-free construction projects and illegal sand mining. The potential for expansion will be further constrained by a weak distribution network in under-developed areas.

Construction Silica Sand Market is segmented based on type, application, and region.

Type Insights

On the basis of Type, the Construction Silica Sand Market is segmented into Less than 40 Mesh, 40-70 Mesh, and More than 70 Mesh. For grinding silica sand, a common mesh size range is 50 mesh to 550 mesh. For uses such as fibreglass, oil well cementing operations, sodium silicate, etc., silica flour crushed utilizing mesh size ranges of 100–200 mesh and 200–325 mesh is highly recommended. These are some of the main areas where silica flour is used. For silica flour made with a mesh size of 100–325, there is a fairly large demand. Due to expansion in end-user industries including fibreglass, oil & gas, and others, the global market for silica sand is anticipated to rise significantly during the forecast period.

Application Insights

On the basis of application, the target market is segmented into Concrete Aggregates, Road base & Coverings, and Fill. Sand and gravel are primarily utilised in concrete (63 % of the total sand and gravel sold). Sand and gravel also have additional applications, such as mortar, drainage layers, and construction fill. 40 % of all crushed rock sold is utilised as roadstone for construction of roads, where it is either used bare or coated with bitumen for asphalt. Concrete uses crushed rock to a further 15 %.

Regional Insights:

The Construction Silica Sand Market size accounted for US$ 20.41 billion in 2020 and is estimated to be US$ 36.85 billion by 2030 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 6.10%. On region the  Construction Silica Sand Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The market for industrial silica sand worldwide is dominated by the North American region. Due to the rising costs for research and development and the dominance of silica sand as a proppant material in hydraulic fracturing in the region, the market growth rate in the region will continue to increase over the course of the forecast period. Due to the growing number of manufacturers, increased demand from emerging economies, rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development of underdeveloped areas, and rising personal disposable income, Asia-Pacific will continue to experience significant growth during the projection period.

Report Scope:

Construction Silica Sand Market, By Region:

• North America
  • Middle East & Africa
    • GCC
    • Israel
    • South Africa
    • Rest of Middle East & Africa
  • Latin America
    • Brazil
    • Mexico
    • Rest of Latin America
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Rest of Asia Pacific
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • UK
    • France
    • Russia
    • Italy
    • Rest of Europe
  • U.S.
  • Canada

The leading players operating in the Construction Silica Sand Market includes U.S. Silica., is a global industrial minerals and logistics leader, with core competencies in mining, processing, logistics and material science, Fairmount Santrol is a leading provider of sand-based goods and solutions for the oil and gas, and industrial and recreation markets., Sibelco mine, process and sell industrial minerals at locations worldwide, concentrated largely on silica, clays, feldspathics and olivine, Toyota Tsusho Corporation is a company based in
Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan, IMOSA manages the "Nasce Água" quarry in Guia-Pombal and is specialised in the extraction and classification of high quality silica sands (wet and dry) (wet and dry), Emerge Energy Services is a diversified energy services firm that operates in the sand production section of the energy market, Badger Mining Corporation is committed to creating high quality industrial silica sand products, Cairo Fresh for Minerals & Quarries Materials is the Leading Silica Sand Suppliers from Egypt. Cairo minerals, founded in 2004, Tochu Corporation has built two silica sand mines in Australia through its subsidiary firms and is importing a variety of high-quality sand.

Recent Development:

• In 2021, Canadian Premium Sand Inc. announced a shift in the company's business strategy towards turning its Wanipigow silica sand deposit into a sustainable float glass manufacturing and coating facility. This facility is meant to utilise the latest available technology focusing on sustainability initiatives such as waste heat recovery and maximising the usage of Manitoba's abundant and inexpensive renewable electricity to set a new benchmark for low-carbon-footprint glass manufacture.