Optical fiber prices surge as high-purity quartz sand rises in value due to tight supply and demand

Golden Ten Data reported on June 5 that driven by the construction of AI computing power infrastructure, the optical fiber and cable industry is ushering in a new wave of price increases. As an indispensable component in fiber manufacturing, high-purity quartz sand, especially high-end products, has seen price rises due to tight supply and demand. "High-purity quartz sand is used in multiple stages of optical preform fabrication, and fiber-grade quartz sleeves, furnace tubes, and quartz tubes are also utilized as supporting products in fiber production," stated a manager from a quartz products processing enterprise. Currently, the pull effect of the fiber industry on the high-purity quartz sand market is becoming evident, with benefits mainly concentrated in companies capable of producing high-end 6N-grade sand. Downstream processing stages follow market-based pricing, influenced by various factors including costs, supply and demand, and market conditions. According to data from China Powder Network, the mainstream price for high-purity sand used in optical fibers is currently between 48,000 RMB/ton and 55,000 RMB/ton. The domestic self-sufficiency rate for 6N-grade and above high-purity quartz sand is low, and supply remains tight. It is reported that the production process of quartz fiber mainly consists of two core procedures: preform fabrication and fiber drawing, with high-purity quartz sand involved in both steps.