ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Metallurgical grade silicon

Metallurgical grade silicon is a type of silicon that is used to make metal alloys and other industrial products. It is made by taking raw silicon, which is a naturally occurring element, and purifying it so that it can be used in the manufacturing process.

Think of silicon like a bunch of building blocks that are needed to make things like electronic devices and solar panels. Like all building blocks, silicon needs to be purified so that it can be used in the right way. This is where metallurgical grade silicon comes in.

To make metallurgical grade silicon, raw silicon is heated up and melted down into a liquid form. This liquid is then mixed with other chemicals and metals to create the desired alloy or product. The resulting mixture is then cooled down and solidified to form the final product.

The purity of metallurgical grade silicon is measured in terms of the percentage of impurities it contains. The more impurities present, the lower the purity of the silicon. Typically, metallurgical grade silicon has a purity level of about 98-99%, which means that it contains 1-2% impurities.

Despite its lower purity level compared to other forms of silicon, metallurgical grade silicon is still an important material in the manufacturing industry. It is used to make a wide range of products, from electronics to cars to construction materials. Without metallurgical grade silicon, many of the products we use in our everyday lives would not exist.