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

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  • Опубліковано 12 гру 2021
  • 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 UA-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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  • Наука та технологія

КОМЕНТАРІ • 61

  • @jayymichaels8100
    @jayymichaels8100 Рік тому +24

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

    • @matlilly8795
      @matlilly8795 10 місяців тому +13

      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
      @ThumbDr 2 місяці тому +2

      @@matlilly8795RIP one like one prayer. Get well soon

  • @miserablepile
    @miserablepile 2 місяці тому +4

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

  • @ktwilson5118
    @ktwilson5118 3 місяці тому

    This is very interesting. Good job you guys!

  • @greentea7180
    @greentea7180 17 днів тому

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

  • @cjbascomb530
    @cjbascomb530 Рік тому +5

    It is hot asf been at it for 2 years

  • @jacquesfilion9117
    @jacquesfilion9117 Рік тому +9

    Check out HPQ SILICON, zero CO2 emissions.

    • @user-yz6yk7ir1x
      @user-yz6yk7ir1x 4 місяці тому +2

      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
      @jacquesfilion9117 4 місяці тому

      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

  • @fawnwoods51
    @fawnwoods51 2 роки тому +2

    This is where my new silicon straws came from.

  • @Where_has_the_sanity_gone
    @Where_has_the_sanity_gone 5 місяців тому +3

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

    • @chickeneaterofficial2889
      @chickeneaterofficial2889 23 дні тому

      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
    @christopherpetersen342 2 місяці тому

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

  • @ThereWillBeCake
    @ThereWillBeCake Місяць тому +1

    And the Australian govt wants to reach zero emissions. haha

  • @ulrichlittmann3095
    @ulrichlittmann3095 2 роки тому +6

    Very interesting. What happens to the released CO2?

    • @siddarths631
      @siddarths631 2 роки тому +9

      Released into the atmosphere leading to the latter's pollution

    • @raspas99
      @raspas99 2 роки тому +15

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

    • @Auroral_Anomaly
      @Auroral_Anomaly 7 місяців тому

      @@raspas99Not nearly that much.

    • @raspas99
      @raspas99 7 місяців тому

      @@Auroral_Anomaly like when making silicon?

    • @Auroral_Anomaly
      @Auroral_Anomaly 7 місяців тому +1

      @@raspas99 No, exhaling.

  • @sakarkolachhapati9793
    @sakarkolachhapati9793 3 місяці тому

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

  • @psycleen
    @psycleen 17 днів тому

    where is darth

  • @iraqwarveteran470
    @iraqwarveteran470 10 місяців тому +11

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

    • @CATASTEROID934
      @CATASTEROID934 9 місяців тому +4

      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
      @kutfingertv814 9 місяців тому +2

      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).

  • @BigLeBowski4456
    @BigLeBowski4456 7 місяців тому +2

    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.

  • @linrae4737
    @linrae4737 2 роки тому +2

    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
      @markmarketing7365 9 місяців тому +2

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

  • @jonathangullett3143
    @jonathangullett3143 7 місяців тому +1

    “Green” evengy

    • @user-yz6yk7ir1x
      @user-yz6yk7ir1x 4 місяці тому +2

      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.

  • @DonzLockz
    @DonzLockz 2 роки тому +4

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

  • @capstonestructural7212
    @capstonestructural7212 Рік тому +11

    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
      @hashdankhog8578 Рік тому +1

      Did you not watch to the end?

    • @caesarsalad1170
      @caesarsalad1170 10 місяців тому

      @@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
      @hashdankhog8578 10 місяців тому

      @@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
      @caesarsalad1170 10 місяців тому +1

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

    • @hashdankhog8578
      @hashdankhog8578 10 місяців тому

      @@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.

  • @whatthefunction9140
    @whatthefunction9140 2 роки тому +8

    Kind of ironic it's not solar powered

    • @ABetterLifeInc
      @ABetterLifeInc 2 роки тому +8

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

    • @iraqwarveteran470
      @iraqwarveteran470 10 місяців тому

      Haha. Exactly.

    • @ThumbDr
      @ThumbDr 2 місяці тому

      I don’t think you understand the word ironic 😂

  • @morayoung3183
    @morayoung3183 2 роки тому +2

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

    • @DoubtingThomas333
      @DoubtingThomas333 2 роки тому +1

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

    • @DoubtingThomas333
      @DoubtingThomas333 2 роки тому +2

      ..."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