How is polysilicon mined?

Polysilicon mining is a complex process involving geological exploration, excavation, and processing. The following is a basic overview of polysilicon mining.

Geological exploration: First, geological exploration is conducted to determine the location, size, and quality of the polysilicon deposit. This work requires the use of geophysical and geochemical exploration, petrographic and ore-geological observations, and drilling to determine the geological reserves and grade of the polysilicon deposit.

Excavation: After the deposit is identified, ore is mined. Open-pit mining and underground mining are commonly used. Open-pit mining involves directly mining polysilicon ore on the surface and is suitable for mining areas with relatively simple geological conditions. Underground mining, on the other hand, involves mining operations underground and is suitable for mining areas with deep deposits, large ore bodies, or complex surface topography.

Crushing: The mined polysilicon ore undergoes coarse and fine crushing using crushing equipment to break it into smaller particles. This improves the polysilicon's particle size and utilization rate, facilitating subsequent beneficiation and processing.

Beneficiation: The crushed polysilicon ore undergoes beneficiation, which involves gravity separation, flotation, and other methods to improve the polysilicon's grade and remove impurities to meet industrial production requirements.

Processing: Finally, the polysilicon ore obtained after beneficiation undergoes processing. The processing line typically includes dry ore crushing, wet ore crushing, grinding, screening, and magnetic separation, gradually producing polysilicon granules that meet industrial production requirements. These processed polysilicon granules can be used in a variety of applications, including solar cells, semiconductor devices, and fiber optic communications.

During the mining of polysilicon, full consideration must be given to environmental protection and sustainable development, avoiding damage to the geological environment, reducing energy and resource consumption, strengthening production process innovation, and promoting the sustainable development of polysilicon mining.