Analysis of the multidimensional impact of quartz slab sand production on the
local economy
1. Core economic driving effect
1. GDP and fiscal contribution
- Direct output value increase: A single quartz plate sand production line
with an annual output of 300,000 tons can generate an annual output value of 150
million yuan, calculated at an average price of 500 yuan/ton, significantly
enhancing the total industrial economy of the county
- Tax growth points: Value-added tax (13%), resource tax (5-10%), corporate
income tax, and other comprehensive tax rates amount to 20%. A project with an
annual output of 300,000 tons contributes over 30 million yuan in tax revenue
annually
- Foreign exchange earnings: The export price of high-end quartz sand can
reach 200-300 USD/ton. For instance, in 2023, the export value of quartz
products in Donghai County, Jiangsu Province, exceeded 800 million USD
2. Upgrading of employment structure
- Job creation: For every 100,000 tons of production capacity, 80-100
industrial workers are required (including mining, sorting, and deep processing
stages)
- Skill improvement: Promote the transformation of migrant workers into
skilled workers in positions such as production line operation, quality
inspection, and equipment maintenance (for example, the average salary of
workers at the Erdos quartz sand base has increased by 220% compared to
agricultural income)
- Associated employment: Supporting service industries such as logistics,
packaging, and equipment maintenance have generated an employment multiplier
effect of 1:0.6
II. Value-added effect of the industrial chain
1. Upstream linkage
- Activate the leasing market for mining machinery (crusher, ball mill), and
form a cluster of 3-5 professional equipment service providers around typical
mining areas
- Driving demand for technical services such as geological exploration and
laboratory testing, as exemplified by the establishment of six provincial-level
mineral testing laboratories in the quartz sand production area of Wuzhou,
Guangxi
2. Downstream extension
- Concentration of panel manufacturing: Each ton of quartz sand can produce
25-30 square meters of artificial stone panels, attracting downstream
enterprises to locate nearby (case study: Guangdong Yunfu Stone Industry Park
has attracted 32 panel factories due to its guaranteed sand supply)
- Waste recycling: dust and scrap materials are used as raw materials for
building mortar, achieving a resource utilization rate of >95%
III. Driving force of infrastructure upgrading
1. Optimization of transportation network
- The demand for raw material transportation has compelled the hardening of
roads in mining areas (with the heavy-load standard upgraded to BZZ-100
level)
- Construction of dedicated berths for ports: such as the construction of a
2000-ton inland river wharf to support the quartz sand base in Fengyang,
Anhui
2. Energy structure transformation
- High energy consumption characteristics (electricity consumption per ton of
sand is 80-120 kWh) drive the transformation of green power grids:
- Supporting construction of a 300MW wind-solar-storage integrated power
station in the quartz sand park of Wulanchabu, Inner Mongolia
- Replacing coal with natural gas: The production area of Zhangzhou, Fujian
Province, completed the gas conversion of 18 production lines in 2023, reducing
CO₂ emissions by 160,000 tons annually
IV. Double-edged sword of social development
Positive aspects
- Rural revitalization demonstration: The quartz sand project in Xiushui
County, Jiangxi Province, has driven three impoverished villages to collectively
invest, with annual dividends exceeding 1.2 million yuan
- Technical talent cultivation: Jointly establish the "Quartz Material
College" with vocational colleges (such as targeted training at Luoyang
Institute of Technology, Henan)
Challenge surface
- Environmental costs: Strict control is required for dust pollution (PM10
emission limit <50mg/m³) and water resource consumption (1.5 tons of water
consumed per ton of sand in wet process)
- Resource sustainability: Establish a resource reserve early warning
mechanism (it is recommended that the mining intensity be ≤ 5% of proven
reserves per year)
V. Successful transformation case: Shandong Linyi model
1. Economic contribution: In 2023, the quartz sand industry accounted for 28%
of the county's industrial output value, with a tax contribution rate of 35%
2. Innovative practice:
- Establish a "Placer Gold Restoration Fund" (with a levy of 10 yuan per ton
of sand) to accumulate funds for restoring 1200 acres of mining areas
- Build "Quartz Technology Innovation Park" to introduce deep processing
enterprises, with a local conversion rate of 70% for quartz slabs
- Develop industrial tourism routes, with an annual reception of 50,000
research and study tourists
conclusion
The production of quartz slab sand serves as a cornerstone in driving the
local economy, yet it requires a "three-in-one" development path to achieve
sustainable gains:
1. High-end industrialization: upgrading to semiconductor-grade and
photovoltaic-grade high-purity sand (with a premium space of up to 300%)
2. Ecological closed-loop: Mandatory implementation of dry process technology
+ dust recovery system (reducing environmental costs by 40%)
3. Benefit sharing: Establish a mechanism for the feedback of resource
development benefits (suggesting that the local retention ratio be ≥30%)
When scientific planning is combined with responsible development, the quartz
sand industry will become a powerful engine for regional economic transformation
and upgrading.