SOLAR SUPPLY CHAIN

QSM is manufacturing silicon wafers and developing an integrated supply chain that spans every key upstream production stage, from raw quartz to finished wafers.

The solar industry relies on quartz to produce polysilicon and to manufacture the crucibles in which silicon is melted before it is processed into ingots and sliced into wafers. By owning domestic resources and manufacturing operations in each part of the supply chain, QSM avoids supply chain risks and reliance on offshore suppliers, delivering stability and resilience to our customers.

QSM high-purity quartz sand​

QSM has secured quartz resources (mineral deposits) and processes quartz rock into high-purity quartz sand. This is the essential starting point for silicon wafer production. Through our subsidiary Ausquartz, we have a secure and reliable supply of ultra-pure quartz sand. This is critical as this sand is used for making quartz crucibles used in the wafer manufacturing process.

QSM quartz crucibles​

Through our subsidiary Ausquartz, we are developing our own quartz crucibles used in crystal growth furnaces. Crucibles made from high-purity quartz are essential for melting polysilicon. By making crucibles in-house (via Ausquartz and partners), QSM ensures this critical material is available when and where needed, avoiding a potential chokepoint in wafer production. This capability also reduces dependence on the limited global crucible supply, which today is concentrated in Asia.

QSM silicon metal and polysilicon

Through our New Zealand subsidiary, Southland Silicon Materials (SSM), QSM is developing the world’s first green silicon metal smelter and green polysilicon plant. SSM’s facilities in New Zealand’s South Island will run on renewable energy, enabling us to produce polysilicon with a minimal carbon footprint.  Silicon metal (refined from quartz) is the base material which we further purify into polysilicon.

      • SSM is developing the world’s first industrial-scale green silicon, a chemical-grade product (2202 grade) that will be used as the feedstock to produce polysilicon with a minimal carbon footprint.
      • By producing our own polysilicon, QSM secures a crucial input for wafer manufacturing and bypasses the global polysilicon concentration out of Asia. Our “green poly” strategy not only ensures supply but also significantly cuts the embedded emissions of our wafers.

Monocrystalline silicon ingots

QSM grows monocrystalline silicon ingots in dedicated furnaces using the industry-standard Czochralski process (CZ) and other proven crystal growth techniques. In this step, polysilicon is melted in a quartz crucible, and a single crystal silicon boule (ingot) is pulled from the molten metal. The result is a large cylindrical ingot of pure silicon. By controlling ingot production, we can optimize crystal quality and size for downstream wafer slicing. Keeping ingot growth in-house also means we retain the silicon “kerf” (waste from wafer cutting) for recycling, improving overall resource efficiency. 

QSM silicon wafers

Finally, QSM slices the silicon ingots into thin wafers using advanced diamond-wire saw technology. These wafers are the fundamental substrates for solar cells and must meet strict thickness and purity specifications. QSM’s wafers will be supplied to local and regional solar cell and module manufacturers, enabling truly local solar panel production. Our wafer lines leverage mature, state-of-the-art processes to ensure high yield and low cost without requiring any new technology. By manufacturing wafers domestically, QSM shortens the supply chain between raw materials and finished solar panels, boosting the competitiveness of local and regional solar industry players.