| ChemSpiderID = 22683 }} | Section2 = | Section3= | Section4 = | Section7 = | Section8 = }} The chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica (from the Latin silex),'s an oxide of silicon with a chemical formula of and has been known for its hardness since antiquity. Silica's most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms. It's a principal component of most types of glass and substances such as concrete. Silica's the most abundant mineral in… (More on Silica)