QUARTZ CRYSTAL (INDUSTRIAL) (Data in metric tons, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use: Domestic production of cultured quartz crystal has been relatively steady for the past 5 years. Lascas1/ production continued in Arkansas. Virtually all quartz crystal consumed in electronic applications was synthetic. Four companies produced cultured quartz crystal using lascas as feed material. Quartz crystal was essential for making piezoelectric filter devices that separated portions of the frequency spectrum and oscillators to a single frequency signal source. Filters and oscillators were used for a wide variety of communication and instrumentation purposes. Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/ Production: Mine2/ 454 778 454 544 500 Plant, cultured (as grown) 441 407 394 294 300 Imports for consumption: Lascas NA NA NA NA NA Natural electronic NA NA NA NA NA Exports: Lascas -- -- -- -- -- Natural electronic NA NA NA NA NA Cultured (mostly lumbered)3/ 53 15 24 38 30 Shipments from Government stockpile excesses, natural electronic 44 89 134 96 -- Consumption, reported: Lascas4/ 556 494 407 500 400 Natural electronic 1 (5/) (5/) (5/) (5/) Cultured6/ 365 286 306 360 350 Price, average value, dollars per kilogram: Lascas 0.85 0.90 1.23 1.20 1.20 Cultured (lumbered) 66.37 105.67 251.69 300.00 300.00 Stocks, industry, yearend: Lascas (for cultured crystal only) 283 99 150 190 190 Natural electronic (fabricator) (5/) 1 1 1 1 Cultured (fabricator) 99 104 100 100 100 Employment, mine, processing plante 10 10 10 10 10 Net import reliance7/ as a percent of apparent consumption, lascas NA NA NA NA NA Recycling: None. Import Sources (1991-94): This information is no longer available. Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN8/ 12/31/95 12/31/95 Sands: Other than natural 2506.10.0010 Free Free. Other 2506.10.0050 Free Free. Quartzite 2506.21.0000 Free Free. Prepared by Quartz Crystal Specialist, (703) 648-7721. QUARTZ CRYSTAL (INDUSTRIAL) Depletion Allowance: 22% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). Government Stockpile: Stockpile Status--9-30-95 Uncommitted Committed Authorized Disposals Material inventory inventory for disposal Jan.-Sept. 95 Quartz crystal 237 258 237 -- Events, Trends, and Issues: Japan remained both the leading producer and consumer of cultured quartz crystal because of its lower cost per unit and its prominence as a producer of electronic components in which these crystals are used. Specially grown cultured seed crystals have nearly replaced natural seed in most domestic operations. The Former Soviet Union and China are major producers, also. Very small quantities of Brazilian natural quartz are used as seed for growing cultured quartz and for a few direct applications such as deep-well pressure transducers. World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Mine production Reserves9/ Reserve base9/ 1994 1995e/ United Statese/ 2/ 544 500 Moderate Moderate Brazil NA NA Large Large Other countries NA NA NA NA World total NA NA Large Large World Resources: Limited resources of quartz crystal suitable for direct electronic or optical use are available throughout the world. World dependence on these resources will continue to decline because of increased acceptance of cultured quartz crystal as an alternative material; however, use of cultured quartz crystal will mean an increased dependence on lascas for growing cultured quartz. Substitutes: Quartz crystal is the best material for frequency-control oscillators. Other materials, such as dipotassium tartrate, are usable only in specific applications as oscillators and frequency filters. e/Estimated. NA Not available. 1/Lascas is a nonelectronic-grade quartz used as a feedstock for growing cultured quartz crystal and for production of fused quartz. 2/Lascas only; specimen and jewelry material excluded. 3/Quantities calculated from pricing information. 4/Excluding quartz crystal used by the fused quartz industry. 5/Less than 1/2 unit. 6/Reported consumption of cultured quartz includes cultured quartz consumed by growers as well as by manufacturers of intermediate products and finished crystal units. 7/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 8/See Appendix B. 9/See Appendix C for definitions. Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996