Silica Deopsits in Pakistan

 

Introduction

Silica is the most abundant compound on the earth. Around 59% of silica is found in the earth's crust and is the main constituent element of 95% of rocks found in the earth. Silica has three Main varieties quartz, tridymite, and cristobalite. 

Properties Of Silica

●       High Melting point 1710°C

●       Resistance to chemical reactions

●       Density:2.65 g/cm³

●       Child material Class: opal, Quartz

●       Boiling point:2950°C

 "High purity is essential in applications like glassmaking, metal casting, and electronics production where the impurities can harm the look and behavior of the resulting products."

      Import and Export of Silica:

• "Pakistan's import and export of silica sand is set to increase by 2026. Imports are estimated to reach 890,000 kilograms, a 1.8% growth from 2021. Since 2008, Pakistani demand has declined by 0.5% annually. In 2021, Pakistan was the 91st-largest importer of silica sand, with Uganda surpassing them with 804,380 kilograms. Slovenia, Singapore, and Belgium held the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions respectively.

• Exports of silica sand from Pakistan are set to grow 3.6% year on year to 68,228,000 kilograms in 2026. Since 2008, supply has risen 2.4% annually. In 2021, Pakistan was the 32nd-biggest exporter, with Sweden surpassing them at 55,057,000 kilograms. The United States, Belgium, and Germany held the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots respectively".

 Even though Pakistan has good reserves of High-Quality silica Pakistan still imports from abroad for to following reasons:

Development Challenges.:

Pakistan is endowed with huge reserves of minerals covering an outcrop area of 600,000 sq. km. There are 92 known minerals out of which 52 are commercially exploited with a total production of 68.52 million metric tons per year. Despite huge potential, the contribution of the mineral sector to Pakistan’s GDP is around 3 percent and the country’s exports are only about 0.1 percent of the world’s total.27.

 List of Companies:

         Here is a list of some silica sand and mineral exporting companies that are exporting silica sand             abroad:

●       Mustafa Brothers

●       World commodity supplies

●       Sadat corporation

●       Zacic trading company

●       PUNJMIN

            Silica is mainly used in Pakistan's local industry in the production of

●       Glassmaking

●       Foundry casting

●       Ceramics.

 

According to the dataset provided by:

PUNJMIN, the total production of silica in Punjab and PUNJMIN 

●       Total production of PUNJMIN (Punjab Mineral Development Corporation):20 to 40,000 tons

●       Sale price per ton: 500 to 600/tons

 

Deposit Of silica In Pakistan:

The deposits of silica are found in all four provinces. In Punjab, the reserve ls are in Daud Khel and Mianwali. In KPK two significant deposits are reported in the Kishor and Marwat ranges near Pezu and Paniala District Banu and DI Khan. In Sindh, deposits are found in Hyderabad while in Balochistan District Loralai, zhob is identified for silica reserves.

Annual production of silica sand during 2003-04 was 2, 59,009 tons. The Approximately same figure was reported on the same year around 30,155 tons only which indicates that it's not easily accessible.

Case study on deposit of Silica in Yakhtangi (district swat) sand deposit:

This case study aims to describe the geochemical and industrial potential of the Yakhtangi sand deposit which was discovered within a distance of several hundred meters with a metalled rod. Chemical composition, grain size distribution, and physical characteristics were investigated to check their suitability for use in the Glass manufacturing industry. The sample was subjected to physical treatment to reduce iron concentration .60% reduction of Fe2O3 was achieved by grading and water washing. Some simple upgrade techniques enhance its ability to be used in high-quality glass manufacturing. The Yakhtangi silica sand deposit occurs along the metalled road at 33km distance from Alpuri toward Shanglapar. These deposits are exposed within an area of 1.5 to 61m from the metalled road and are easily accessible.

 Why does Pakistan still import silica even though it has a high-quality reserve?

The various contributing factors or impediments are mentioned below: 

▪ Lack of Investor Confidence. With arbitration, lease conflicts, and inconsistent policies, a lack of confidence exists among local and global mining companies and investors.

•  ·         Lack of Exploration and Marketing

 Limited, outdated, or no exploration data is available for mining companies to evaluate large-scale mining (LSM) projects. Besides that, no marketing efforts have been made.

• ·         Missing Regulatory Framework.

The regulatory framework has missing links between the national mineral policy and provincial mining policies, resulting in procedural delays, and creating hurdles for investors, particularly foreign investors.

• ·         Insufficient Infrastructure:

Due to the lack of funds and skilled workers in this sector, Poor planning and execution the government could not meet the need for infrastructure.

• ·         Environmental Regulations.

 Mining processes produce large volumes of waste, some of which is highly toxic.

• ·         Outdated Technology.

The technology adopted in quarrying and processing sub-sectors needs to be updated and cannot produce standardized and uniform quality products for the domestic market in general and for export.

 The Way Forward:

 To enhance the mining sector's contribution to Pakistan's GDP, it is crucial to implement the following measures:

▪ Investor Confidence Building.

 Creating an environment that fosters investor confidence is essential. This involves implementing investor-friendly policies, ensuring regulatory clarity, and providing transparent and streamlined procedures for investment in the mining industry.

▪ Exploration and Marketing Activities.

 To tap into the untapped potential of the mining sector, a strong focus on exploration and marketing activities is required.