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Silicon metal is known as a semi-metallic or metalloid, havingseveral of the characteristics of metals. It is the second mostabundant element in the Earth''s crust after oxygen, naturallyoccurring in various forms of silicon dioxide or silicates and veryrarely in its pure form in volcanic exhalations. It takes its namefrom the Latin Silicus, which means flint.
Silicon can be found in the form of sand, quartz, rock crystal,amethyst, agate, flint and opal as an oxide. Granite, asbestos,feldspar, clay, mica are a few examples of the numerous silicatematerials. Silicon is abundant, relatively easy to mine and is oneof Man''s most useful elements.
Properties of Silicon metal
Most metallurgical silicon metal is used as an alloying agent inthe aluminium industry due to its ability to increase the strengthof aluminium. Demand from the aluminium industry has grown steadilyin recent years due to increased usage of aluminium in structuralengineering, aircraft manufacture and the automotive industry.Aluminium alloys are lighter and more resistant to corrosion thancarbon-steel and can be made by addition of metals such as copper,zinc, magnesium, manganese as well as silicon.
