China’s efforts to secure a key material for solar panels and semiconductors have taken a big step forward. Researchers have found a promising new source of high-purity quartz in Tibet.

High-purity quartz is a key raw material for advanced manufacturing. It is used to make semiconductors, solar panels, optical parts, and many types of electronics. Even though China is a major manufacturer, it has mostly depended on foreign suppliers, especially the United States, for high-grade quartz.

Tibetan granite emerges as a valuable resource

The study looked at leucogranites from the Dinggye area in Tibet. These pale granites have a lot of quartz, which could be used to make very pure silica materials.

“This study evaluates Tibet leucogranites as a potential raw material for high-purity quartz,” according to the paper published in April.

After studying the minerals and the rocks’ purification potential, the researchers found that these deposits could yield very high-quality quartz.

“Our results demonstrate that these leucogranites hold considerable potential to produce high-purity quartz with [silica] contents above 99.995 percent,” the team from the University of Science and Technology of China and the China Geological Survey wrote.

The researchers found that impurities in the quartz can be removed during processing. Improving purification methods could make the quartz even purer.

Critical ingredient for solar and chip industries

Quartz is the second most common mineral in Earth’s crust, but quartz that meets high-tech standards is much rarer. High-purity quartz has at least 99.9 percent silica and special qualities needed for advanced industries.

Because it resists heat and corrosion, insulates well, and expands very little with temperature changes, high-purity quartz can handle the tough conditions in semiconductor and solar manufacturing.

The material is used to make polysilicon, which helps solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. It is also needed to make quartz crucibles, which are essential for manufacturing semiconductor wafers, electronic components, optical equipment, and solar cells.

As the world needs more clean energy and advanced electronics, finding steady supplies of high-purity quartz is becoming more important.

Supply risks drive domestic exploration

According to the Chinese researchers, there is not much high-purity quartz in the world, and most of it is found in just a few places. “Global high-purity quartz resources are scarce and highly unevenly distributed, leading to significant supply chain risks,” the team noted.

China is currently the world’s largest importer of the material. A significant portion of global supply originates from the famous quartz deposits in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, which have long served as a major source of high-grade quartz for industries around the world.

Depending on imports has become a strategic issue for Chinese leaders, especially as competition grows in the semiconductor and renewable energy fields.

China expands search for strategic minerals

China has recently accelerated its search for domestic sources of high-purity quartz. In 2020, it found its first mineable deposit in Henan province, and another was found in Xinjiang in 2021.

After these discoveries, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources officially listed high-purity quartz as the country’s 174th mineral to be developed in 2025. This move shows how important the material is becoming for China’s industry and technology goals.

The new quartz deposits found in Tibet could play a key role in this plan. Researchers think the area’s many leucogranite formations could support future resource development.

“The widely distributed leucogranites in the Tibet region of China provide an ideal research target for achieving breakthroughs in high-purity quartz resources and ensuring national resource security,” the team wrote.

The study was published in the European Journal of Mineralogy.

A new radio frequency weapon designed to counter drone threats has successfully taken down 80 drones in recent tests in the United Kingdom. Defense technology company Thales announced that its RapidDestroyer system completed a series of trials in April at Pershore, Gloucestershire, demonstrating its ability to quickly and reliably defeat unmanned aerial threats.

The tests show that there is more interest in directed energy weapons as militaries look for better ways to stop advanced drone attacks. Unlike traditional missile defenses, radio frequency systems can target several drones at once without using costly interceptors.

Designed to tackle drone swarms

The RapidDestroyer is a radio-frequency directed-energy weapon (RFDEW) manufactured in the UK. Rather than using physical force, it emits powerful radio waves that interfere with the electronics inside enemy drones.

The weapon disrupts critical systems inside the drones, rendering them inoperable and unable to complete their missions. The firm mentioned the effects occur immediately and prevent the drones from recovering or flying again.

The most recent tests examined how the system handles single drones and showed that it can reliably stop threats. The company said these tests let engineers closely study each encounter and assess how well the weapon performs.

“The trials took place in April at Pershore, Gloucestershire, in partnership with Teledyne E2V and marks another milestone in advancing RFDEW technologies,” the firm revealed in a press statement.

Upgraded design boosts effectiveness

One key improvement in the latest version is its upgraded four-panel effector. Thales said this new setup focuses more energy on targets than earlier versions.

The new design focuses energy more effectively and improves targeting accuracy, allowing the weapon to hit threats from farther away. By sending more power to enemy drones, the system can disrupt their electronics more quickly and effectively.

The company also said that the thorough testing showed the system can reliably disable drones almost right away.

“This extensive testing enabled a forensic analysis of each engagement, demonstrating consistent, near-immediate defeat of each drone, removing the chance that the drones could re-engage,” the company stated.

AI-assisted command system

RapidDestroyer integrates the RF weapon with Thales’ command-and-control and weapon-control software. The system also uses artificial intelligence to spot and respond to threats more quickly.

The AI helps with finding, tracking, and deciding how to handle targets, but people still oversee the process. Operators watch what happens and approve actions, so humans stay in control during operations.

According to Thales, this combination of advanced software, AI, and RF technology enables RapidDestroyer to offer a flexible way to defend against new drone threats. As drone swarms become more common in battle, systems like RapidDestroyer could give armed forces another option for stopping many unmanned aircraft without relying solely on traditional weapons.