Industrial garnet possesses unique properties such as high hardness and angular fracture which make it suitable for abrasive blasting, water jet cutting, water filtration, abrasive powders, and garnet paper and cloth. It is used for surface preparation works in ship building, steel manufacturing, and automobile industries.

The Industrial Garnet Market is estimated for 2023 for the forecast period 2023-2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Dynamics:

The industrial garnet market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to increasing demand from waterjet cutting applications and growth in the ship building industry. Waterjet cutting requires high-pressure water streams mixed with an abrasive material like garnet to cut through various materials. Also, the revival of the shipbuilding industry after the pandemic has increased the demand for garnet which is used for surface preparation of ship hulls. Additionally, growth in the steel manufacturing industry will also drive market growth during the forecast period.

Industrial Garnet Market Drivers:

Increasing demand from abrasive application to drive the market growth

Garnet finds significant use as an abrasive in cutting tools, sandpaper, water jet cutting machines and blasting medium. Its hardness and angular surface help for effective deburring, grinding, and finishing of engineering components, without generating excess heat. Garnet's high hardness, around 7 to 7.5 on mohs scale, enables it to withstand high friction conditions without losing its structure. For industrial applications involving removal or finishing of materials, garnet performs far better than other abrasives such as aluminum oxide and silicon carbide. Thus, with rising industrial production and growing metal fabrication industry, the demand for garnet from abrasive application is expected to increase steadily during the forecast period.

Growing usage of natural garnet in water jet cutting will boost market revenues

Water jet cutting technology utilizes high pressure water or water mixed with garnet abrasives to slice through materials. Garnet is emerging as the ideal abrasive for water jet cutting due to its hardness and uniform angular shape. Its uniformity allows for consistent cutting and reduces grit contamination. Garnet helps in achieving clean, burr-free cuts and minimizing edge deformation in non-ferrous metals, glass, composites and stone. With construction, automotive and aerospace industries increasingly using water jet cutting technique for complex shapes and three dimensional parts, the consumption of garnet is projected to rise substantially over the coming years.

Industrial Garnet Market Restrain:

Availability of cheap substitute restrain the market growth

Certain cheaper substitutes for garnet raw materials like olivine, zircon and ceramic beads etc. pose a threat to the market. Most prominently, zircon is widely used as a substitute for garnet in abrasive blasting and water jet cutting. Its lower price compared to garnet is a major factor for its acceptance in these industrial applications. Similarly, olivine and manufactured ceramic beads provide a substitute option, especially in developing markets where cost is an important selection criterion. Mining and processing of garnet is also relatively expensive compared to some substitutes. Thus, prevalence of economical alternatives restricts the large scale use of garnet in certain end-use sectors to some extent.

Industrial Garnet Market Opportunity:

Growing fiber optic industry offers opportunity for garnet demand

The optical fiber industry is expanding rapidly driven by increasing demand for high speed telecommunication systems and broadband networks. Garnet is used in manufacturing of fiber optic cables as a fundamental raw material in the cladding and buffers/coatings surrounding the fiber core. Its desirable physical properties like hardness, chemical inertness and thermal stability make it suitable for this strategic application. With ongoing technological advancements, modern fiber optic networks require more sophisticated cables with advanced buffering systems. This emphasizes the critical role of garnet and drives higher consumption. Thus, rapid growth of global fiber optic communication infrastructure presents profitable business opportunity for garnet producers and suppliers over the coming years.

Industrial Garnet Market Trends:

Rising consumption of garnet in wind turbine manufacture trend will continue

Wind energy has emerged as a major renewable source to meet global energy needs. Garnet gains application in the manufacturing of wind turbine components such as shafts, housing and blades as well as servicing and cleaning during operation. It is used for abrasive blasting and cleaning of blades. Garnet particles help to remove tough industrial coatings, oil and grime from blades, without causing damage. During construction, garnet finds use in grinding, deburring and finishing of metal parts of nacelles, hubs and shafts. With global wind power capacity increasing rapidly to support clean energy targets, sustained growth in garnet consumption is anticipated from this clean technology sector in the long run.