“It’s Like Working In A Volcano”: How Silicon Is Made | Extreme Jobs

The process of turning quartz into silicon isn’t for the faint-hearted. We go inside one of the largest silicon smelters in the world. Subscribe to ABC Science TH-cam 👉 ab.co/2YFO4Go
This is an excerpt from the Australian documentary series, Catalyst - The Grid: Powering The Future. Australians can watch the full program here 👉 ab.co/2nFL0tp
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[@jayymichaels8100]

I work at a plant just like this in America. Working in those furnaces is hell.

[@matlilly8795]

That's nothing. I have a desk job in the air conditioning. The other day I forgot to turn on my desk fan and felt slightly uncomfortable for about 10 minutes until I remembered to switch it on.

[@ThumbDr]

@@matlilly8795RIP one like one prayer. Get well soon

[@miserablepile]

I wish this had more views, this is really interesting!

[@ktwilson5118]

This is very interesting. Good job you guys!

[@cjbascomb530]

It is hot asf been at it for 2 years

[@ThereWillBeCake]

And the Australian govt wants to reach zero emissions. haha

[@greentea7180]

Lol, it seems like those hilariously dangerous and horrendous looking jobs could be automated pretty easily...

[@fawnwoods51]

This is where my new silicon straws came from.

[@jacquesfilion9117]

Check out HPQ SILICON, zero CO2 emissions.

[@user-yz6yk7ir1x]

According to Hewlett Packard, the company that produces it, the production of HPQ Silicon emits 84% less CO2 than conventional silicon. That is significant, but I wonder if this finding has been confirmed by independent research.

[@jacquesfilion9117]

The 1 Kg eq of CO2 per Kg of Fumed Silica is based on Hydro Quebec data that indicate in Quebec 1.3 g of CO2 are generated eq per KWh. While the 2.5 is based on the Canadian average for
electricity generation carbon intensity of 150 g per KWh. In Q4 Independent testing done at McGill University confirmed the HPQ Polvere FSR capability of producing
Commercial Grade Fumed Silica in one
step at lab scale. @@user-yz6yk7ir1x

[@Where_has_the_sanity_gone]

So do they supply Taiwan or does Taiwan mine it itself?

[@chickeneaterofficial2889]

If you're referring to the Taiwanese microchips, than I'm certain they don't produce their due to the lack of quartz (SiO2) rich soil.
So it makes more sense economically to import it from neighboring countries. However, they produce more than 60% of semiconductors that are sold internationally.

[@christopherpetersen342]

and transforming it from bulk polysilicon into rods, wafers, and solar cells has other costs

[@ulrichlittmann3095]

Very interesting. What happens to the released CO2?

[@siddarths631]

Released into the atmosphere leading to the latter's pollution

[@raspas99]

@@siddarths631 also not forget you exhale CO2. Scary stuff

[@Auroral_Anomaly]

@@raspas99Not nearly that much.

[@raspas99]

@@Auroral_Anomaly like when making silicon?

[@Auroral_Anomaly]

@@raspas99 No, exhaling.

[@sakarkolachhapati9793]

I dont think keeping global temperature below 1.5 pre industrial level is achievable

[@sakarkolachhapati9793]

@@busimagen ok

[@psycleen]

where is darth

[@iraqwarveteran470]

Oh, coal is needed to make solar panels. That's a plot twist.

[@CATASTEROID934]

It's mostly likely a type of coke or other relatively pure carbon source similar to what you'd use to reduce iron oxides like hematite, limonite or magnetite to metallic iron in an ironworks/steel mill, so there's a couple of steps in between but yeah essentially refined coal

[@kutfingertv814]

This is the Simcoa plant in Western Australia, and for the most part it uses Jarrah wood charcoal, although lately it is using more coal refined to coke. But West Australians are Gods chosen people, and the apple of Gods eye, and it is our every right to do what we want. But yeh, you can just use any carbon source, and there are trials into substituting Hydrogen instead of carbon to remove the oxygen from the Silicon Dioxide (Quartz).

[@jonathangullett3143]

“Green” evengy

[@user-yz6yk7ir1x]

Solar cell production is indeed problematic; it's not a silver bullet for confronting the climate crisis. But, as stated in this video, "if silicon is incorporated into a solar panel, it will generate at least 4 times as much energy as it took to make it -- 10 times as much in a country like Australia." Compared with fossil fuels, there's simply no contest. Another commenter mentioned HPQ silicon, the production of which supposedly releases 84% less CO2 than conventionally produced silicons. That's something that should be getting more attention.

[@linrae4737]

Really whoever took this on initially??? How hot raw materials need to be heated to become useful to mankind!! WOW gotta wonder are some things worth using???

[@markmarketing7365]

Brother, I'm very late with this one but the whole world runs on silicon, it's the cornerstone of every computing chip.

[@BigLeBowski4456]

Those look like generic 3M dust masks with a mere dustfilter. Fine dust will get through in time, gases will too... Very unhealthy work environment, these men keep the world turning.

[@DonzLockz]

Really cool to see but it's too hot to work there. Dangerous work and bad for the environment but a necessary evil.

[@whatthefunction9140]

Kind of ironic it's not solar powered

[@ABetterLifeInc]

You have any idea how big that solar and battery set up would be! 😆

[@iraqwarveteran470]

Haha. Exactly.

[@ThumbDr]

I don’t think you understand the word ironic 😂

[@sgtbrown4273]

@@ABetterLifeInc about the size of TEXAS 🤣

[@capstonestructural7212]

The dirty little secret about clean energy from solar panel is that the process to get produce it is worst than what it is replacing. SMH.

[@hashdankhog8578]

Did you not watch to the end?

[@caesarsalad1170]

@@hashdankhog8578 It may generate more electricity than it took to make it, but panels don't suck carbon and other gasses out of the air that the furnace/smelter gives off or clean up molten slag.

[@hashdankhog8578]

@@caesarsalad1170 and thats why we also need to focus on carbon capture. Just because they do generate carbon doesnt mean they are worth using or that we should keep using oil.

[@caesarsalad1170]

@@hashdankhog8578 Except oil is a absolute critical component to our modern society besides fuel.

[@hashdankhog8578]

@@caesarsalad1170 well slavery was critical for americas economy but we still got rid of it. Just because a society relies on something doesn’t mean that we need it.

[@morayoung3183]

Wow working in hell, not the way God provides, clean energy.

[@DoubtingThomas333]

The universe is full of blistering heat, things burning, etc etc

[@DoubtingThomas333]

..."A recent study found that the average temperature of the hot gases in the large-scale structures, including galaxies and galaxy clusters, of the universe is 2 million Kelvin - or 1,999,726.85 degrees Celsius."
21 Nov 2020.
Look it up