Silicon is the second most abundant element in Earth's crust and forms the foundation of two industrial streams: ferrosilicon (5.1 Mt Si content in 2024, used in steelmaking and foundry) and silicon metal (4.6 Mt Si content, used in aluminum alloys, silicones, and polysilicon). Both are produced by carbothermic reduction of quartzite in electric arc furnaces — energy-intensive processes that favor locations with cheap, reliable electricity. China dominates both streams: 69% of global ferrosilicon output and 85% of silicon metal, with USGS estimating China at "almost 80%" of combined global silicon materials production in 2024. US production is withheld in USGS tables but five facilities operated east of the Mississippi in 2024.

Silicon metal prices have been remarkably stable in 2023–2024, averaging ~$1.80/lb (metallurgical grade spot), a sharp pullback from the 2022 peak of $3.62/lb driven by the European energy crisis. Ferrosilicon 75% similarly fell from $3.12/lb (2022) to $1.30/lb (Jan–Sep 2024 average, S&P Global Platts mean import basis). The downstream polysilicon and semiconductor sectors are undergoing rapid US capacity expansion under the CHIPS and Science Act ($34B committed as of October 2024) and complementary investment in US-based solar supply chains.

The EU CRMA (2024) designated silicon metal a Strategic Raw Material owing to semiconductor, electronics, and solar dependencies on Chinese supply. Canada took similar action in 2024. While silicon itself is geologically unlimited, processing capacity, energy access, and the downstream refining steps to semiconductor-grade polysilicon create chokepoints that justify the strategic designation. For silicon metal imports, the US relies primarily on Brazil (38%), Canada (28%), and Norway (13%) — all stable trading partners — providing meaningful import source diversification relative to most critical materials.