quartz sand; silica sand
Technical term for sand composed mainly of quartz or silica, used in glassmaking, construction, and industrial applications.
Quartz sand is used as a raw material for glass.
この工場では高純度の珪砂を精製している。
This factory refines high-purity silica sand.
砂 is the general word for sand; 珪砂 specifies the composition as silica/quartz sand.
Standard kanji spelling using the common form 珪 for silicon.
Alternate kanji spelling using 硅, which is also used for silicon but less common than 珪.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling; the katakana ケイ replaces the kanji for silicon.
Compound of 珪 (kei, 'silicon') and 砂 (sha, 'sand'). The kanji 珪 and 硅 both represent silicon; 珪 is the more common form in this compound.