Ferroglobe has been contracted by LONGi to supply high-purity silicon and high-purity quartz in a three-year supply agreement. LONGi is one of the top four solar manufacturers in the world alongside JA Solar, Jinko Solar and Trina Solar, and the second largest after Zhonghuan in the relevant wafer segment, which consumes polysilicon and processes it in high-purity quartz crucibles whose inner faces are preferably 99.998% pure – which can only be conveniently refined from high-quality grades such as those from the Spruce Pines deposits. Synthetic or short-lifespan alternatives are inherently more expensive. That said, it’s not explicitly stated that Ferroglobe’s quartz is being bought for that purpose. The more notable part of the deal is therefore the high-purity silicon, which…