History

1914

Regular mining of potassium feldspar began in Drag, Norway contributing to pottery and porcelain markets globally.

1957

Lawson-United Feldspar & Mineral Company was incorporated in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, USA. Several years later, the Lawson-Boone Mica Company merged with the Lawson-United Feldspar & Mineral Company, expanding the Spruce Pine facility.The company eventually changed its name to KT Feldspar Corporation.

1975

The Geological Survey of Norway initiated quartz exploration in Drag, marking the beginning of quartz mining in Drag.

1983

Lawson-United Feldspar & Mineral Company acquired the American Nepheline Corporation and ANC Minerals, Inc. and changed its name to Indusmin Inc. A decade later, Hecla Mining Company acquired Indusmin Inc. from Canadian company Natresco Inc. in a shared purchase agreement.

1985 

Elkem and Norcem joined forces to open a processing plant in Drag named Minnor, which declared bankruptcy shortly after its inception. Minnorco, owned by the German company Metail Gesellschaft AG, took over the operation of Minnor and began the successful production of quartz.

1996

Norwegian Crystallites AS is formed in Drag by parent company Norsk Mineral AS and begins producing high purity quartz for high-end technical applications.

2007

Imerys USA Inc. acquired KT Feldspar Corp., a subsidiary of the North American group Zemex Corp., giving Imerys full ownership of the feldspar and mica activities in Spruce Pine, including access to quartz deposits.

2011

Imerys and Norsk Mineral merged their quartz assets to create The Quartz Corp.

2017

TQC established an office in China.

2020

TQC acquired United States Gypsum Corporation’s Spruce Pine, North Carolina facility.

2021

TQC renovated a brownfield site for automated packaging logistics in Micaville, North Carolina and activated a new chlorination plant in Drag, Norway.

2023

TQC launches ambitious new expansion plan.