A common term in industry. It generally is used to mean a sand that has a very high percentage of silica, usually in the form of quartz. Silica sand is used as a source of pure silicon and as a raw material for glass and other products. Also called quartz sand. A common name for compounds that are composed of atoms of slicon, oxygen, one or more metals and possibly hydrogen.
Many natural minerals are silicates.
It is found in nature in volcanic rocks and stony meteorites. It is also found in fired silica bricks.