(April 30, 2026) Recently, the domestic silica industry has shown a development trend of "maintaining stability at high prices, expanding green production capacity, accelerating technology iteration, and improving export demand". The high cost of raw materials supports the bottom line of prices, the landing of 10 billion low-carbon projects in Weifang, Shandong Province, the recycling of rice husk ash preparation patents, and the surge in overseas high-end orders, the industry is moving towards a new stage of high quality, greening and high added value.
1. Market price: stabilized at a high level, with strong support on the cost side
As of the end of April 2026, the domestic mainstream rubber-grade precipitation silica market quotation is stable at 6300-6800 yuan/ton, and the high-end quotation of fumed silica remains at 22000-28000 yuan/ton, showing an overall pattern of "stable rise in precipitation method and high consolidation in gas-phase method".
At the beginning of April, affected by the sharp rise in the prices of core raw materials such as sulfuric acid, soda ash, and coal, a number of mainstream enterprises collectively issued price adjustment letters, raising by 500 yuan per ton, effectively transmitting cost pressure. Among them, the price of sulfuric acid hit a new high in nearly 20 years, with the benchmark price reaching 1,742.50 yuan/ton in early April, an increase of more than 60% from the beginning of March, becoming the core driving force for the price of silica to rise.
2. Capacity construction: Tens of billions of green projects have been intensively implemented, and the low-carbon transformation of the industry has been accelerated
In the context of the in-depth implementation of the "dual carbon" policy, the pace of green capacity expansion in the industry has accelerated significantly, and a number of low-carbon, environmental protection and circular projects have been started or publicized.
Shandong Weifang 10-billion-level low-carbon project: At the beginning of April, Zhongke invested 1.02 billion yuan to build a 200,000 tons/year carbon dioxide acidification silica project (phase I), located in Changle County, Shandong Province, with an investment of 360 million yuan in the first phase to build two production lines, which is expected to be completed and put into operation in February 2027, all using low-carbon processes to significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Jiangsu production capacity optimization and upgrading: In mid-April, Sanming Fengrun Chemical's 43 million yuan technical transformation project landed, eliminating backward equipment such as coal-fired hot blast stoves, switching to gas equipment, and simultaneously building new LNG gasification stations, responding to Jiangsu's latest chemical industry restructuring policy and promoting the clearance of low-end production capacity.
3. Technological innovation: Breakthrough in patents for rice husk ash preparation, and circular economy empowers cost reduction and efficiency increase
On April 23, the State Intellectual Property Office released the patent (CN121894667A of Shaanxi Saikoris "A silica and its preparation method and application", which realized the efficient preparation of high-dispersion silica from rice husk ash for the first time.
This technology converts agricultural waste rice husk ash into high value-added silica through microwave-assisted alkaline dissolution, composite impurity removal, high-pressure spray carbonization and other processes, reducing production costs by about 20%, while improving rubber reinforcement performance, realizing "turning waste into treasure", and providing a new path for the development of the industry's circular economy.
4. Demand structure: traditional fields are steadily increasing, and emerging tracks are exploding
The demand in the fields of traditional tires, coatings, and rubber has steadily rebounded, and the operating rate of domestic tire companies remained above 75% in the first quarter, driving the demand for highly dispersed silica to increase by 8%.
Emerging tracks have become the core engine of growth:
New energy field: ultra-fine and high-purity silica is used in lithium battery separator coatings and electrolyte additives, and the market demand has increased by 30% year-on-year.
Daily chemical and food industry: As a thickener and anti-caking agent, silica has a rapidly increasing penetration rate in beauty and health care products.
Export market: Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America have significantly increased their purchasing activity, with exports increasing by 15% year-on-year in April, highlighting the cost-effective advantages of domestic silica.
5. Industry outlook: The supply and demand pattern is optimized, and green high-end has become the mainstream
Industry experts said that in the short term, the high cost of raw materials will continue to support the high operation of silica prices, and the market price in May may be mainly stable, with slight fluctuations in some areas. In the long run, with the release of green production capacity, technological innovation breakthroughs and the outbreak of emerging demand, the industry will accelerate the elimination of backward production capacity, promote the transformation of the industry to green, high-end and functional, and the market size is expected to continue to expand in the future.
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