Silicon is a metalloid; it has characteristics of both metals (shiny metallic appearance, strong) and non-metals (brittle, not a good conductor of electricity).

After being isolated as an element it was originally called Silicium, the “ium” suffix denoting a metal in the same fashion as Aluminium. In many countries the name was soon changed to Silicon to reflect its similarity to other metalloid elements such as Carbon and Boron.

A commonly occurring element in the universe, it is the second most common element found within the Earth crust after Oxygen. It is widely available in various forms such as quartz, sand, rock crystals, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper and opal.

It is an unusual element in that it has a lower density when in solid state than in liquid state, so like ice floating on water it expands when it freezes rather than contracts and the frozen solid floats on the liquid.

• Grade (S)
• Si-98.5%, Fe-0.50%, AI-0.5%, Ca-0.3%
• Grade 551, 443
• Also available on request