Silica Investing: How Processing Bottlenecks Create Breakthrough Opportunities

HPQ market forecast and drivers

HPQ silica — quartz refined to purities above 99.9 percent — is the indispensable feedstock for solar panels, semiconductors and advanced glass. Every solar panel requires silicon wafers made from HPQ silica. It is also essential for creating semiconductor chips — the backbone of AI, electrification and cloud computing. Ultra-clear solar glass also depends on HPQ silica’s exceptional purity.

Market forecasts highlight this growing importance. A report from Mordor Intelligence estimates the HPQ market at US$703.21 million in 2025, with growth expectations reaching US$876.33 million by 2030, a CAGR of greater than 4.5 percent from 2025 to 2030. That growth is driven not just by renewables — where solar capacity additions are expected to exceed 500 gigawatts annually by 2030 — but also by the relentless expansion of semiconductors and digital infrastructure.

Yet for all this potential, the real challenge isn’t finding quartz — it’s processing it into HPQ silica at scale.

Traditional production and limitations

The processing of HPQ silica has traditionally been costly and environmentally challenging.

Conventional production involves high-temperature thermal refining and acid leaching, which are both energy-intensive and reliant on harsh chemical reagents. These processes create waste streams that are increasingly difficult to justify in a world governed by ESG mandates.

On top of that, logistics remain a drag. In many cases, silica sand must be transported long distances to processing plants, then shipped internationally to reach end markets. This adds to both cost structures and carbon intensity.

For HPQ silica to meet the needs of solar, semiconductors and next-generation batteries, the industry must move beyond these outdated approaches.

Innovations in processing and logistics

That shift is already underway. At UC Davis, researchers recently demonstrated that quartz from Brazil could be purified to +99.99 percent HPQ silica using femtosecond laser technology.

This approach eliminates chemical reagents altogether and has the potential to deliver zero-waste, zero-emissions refining. Commercial-scale designs are now being developed based on this breakthrough.

At the same time, innovators are rethinking logistics. Locating processing facilities next to deposits reduces the need for costly and carbon-intensive transport. Access to deepwater ports further enhances competitiveness. Homerun Resources (TSXV:HMR,OTCQB:HMRFF,FWB:5ZE), which is advancing a vertically integrated HPQ production and processing business in Brazil, has pursued multiple partnerships and lease agreements to establish the logistical advantage for its integrated supply chain strategy to move HPQ silica efficiently to global markets.

Together, these advances are redefining HPQ silica beyond simply a materials story but a processing and technology opportunity, where the real investment upside lies.

Case study: Homerun Resources

Homerun Resources is a compelling example of how companies are aligning their value proposition with an integrated, mine-to-market strategy, driven by an innovative, low-carbon HPQ processing technology and clear, strategy road map.

At its flagship Belmonte project in Bahia, Brazil, Homerun controls one of the world’s highest-quality HPQ silica deposits, with measured resources of over 25 million tonnes grading above 99.6 percent SiO₂. What sets Homerun apart is not only its geology, but its strategy to redefine how HPQ silica is processed and commercialized.

The company has partnered with UC Davis to validate laser-based refining methods that produced HPQ silica of +99.99 percent purity without chemical reagents. It is also advancing a 120,000 tonne per year processing facility in Belmonte, strategically located beside the resource and with direct access to port infrastructure.

From there, Homerun plans to expand vertically: into solar glass manufacturing, perovskite photovoltaic integration and even thermal energy storage. In partnership with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab, Homerun is developing a first-of-its-kind thermal energy storage system using its high-purity quartz silica. This system is designed for industrial heat storage, electricity arbitrage and simultaneous silica purification.

With these defined strategies and roadmap to profitability, Homerun evolves from a raw materials supplier into a vertically integrated advanced materials company, anchored in HPQ silica processing innovation.

For investors, this positioning is significant: Homerun is building its strategy around solving the industry’s core bottleneck, giving it potential relevance not only as a resource holder but as a technology-driven disruptor in the HPQ space.

Investor takeaway

The strategic story of HPQ silica is not about its abundance in the Earth’s crust but about the scarcity of efficient, ESG-aligned processing technologies. That scarcity is what creates the opportunity.

Companies that can transform raw quartz into ultra-pure HPQ silica using cleaner, more efficient technologies will control a bottleneck at the heart of solar, semiconductors and next-generation energy storage. Homerun Resources, with its high-grade deposit, cutting-edge research, strategic partnerships and vertical integration strategy, is positioning itself to be a key player in this evolving market dynamic.

This INNSpired article is sponsored by Homerun Resources (TSXV:HMR,OTCQB:HMRFF,FWB:5ZE). This INNSpired article provides information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by Homerun Resources in order to help investors learn more about the company. Homerun Resources is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this INNSpired article.

This INNSpired article was written according to INN editorial standards to educate investors.

INN does not provide investment advice and the information on this profile should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company profiled.

The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with Homerun Resources and seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.