ReSiLient

ReSiLient will pioneer and integrate innovative solutions to reinforce Europe’s silicon and silicon carbide semiconductor raw material value chains. The project tackles three critical challenges: limited access to, and the looming shortage of, high-quality quartz, insufficient domestic processing capacity, and the high environmental footprint of current production routes. By 2050, ReSiLient will establish a resilient European base for Si and SiC, mobilising 130-190 kt of high-purity silica from abundant aplite and olivine minerals, and quartz crucible scrap. This will enable the production of 36-52 kt of metallurgical grade silicon or 88-127 kt of high-purity silicon carbide, directly reducing import dependency. In parallel, hydrogen plasma refining will deliver ~30 kt of >5N silicon (~€43 million market value), equal to 6% of Europe’s annual metallurgical grade silicon output, demonstrating the strategic role of high-purity secondary silicon as a domestic resource. By 2050, ReSiLient feedstocks could enable semiconductor manufacturing of ~533 million silicon wafers (~32% of Europe’s demand) and ~5.4 million SiC wafers. ReSiLient will also cut the CO2 footprint of Si and SiC production by replacing fossil reductants with biocarbon, integrating CO2 mineralisation, and valorising secondary raw materials together reducing emissions by over 300 kt CO2 by 2050, aligning with EU Green Deal and CBAM objectives. ReSiLient unites a full value chain consortium starting with raw material producers and recyclers, continuing through technology developers, and concluding with semiconductor manufacturers. With commercial partners engaged at every step, the project ensures that innovations are demonstrated at pre-industrial scale, validated by end users, and ready for market adoption, strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy i silicon and silicon carbide production.