Silicon is used in construction, microchips and more – 'green' methods could help extract it from sugarcane waste

By Lindiwe Khotseng, Professor, University of the Western Cape
Ntalane Sello, PhD Candidate, University of the Western Cape

In some parts of South Africa’s Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, sugarcane fields stretch as far as the eye can see. The crop is more than just a treat for those with a sweet tooth: in 2017 the country’s sugar industry had an estimated value of more than R12 billion; of this, sugarcane production alone was worth R5.1 billion.

But the sugar industry…

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