Silicon carbide
Silicon carbide (SiC), also known as carborundum (/ ˌ k ɑːr b ə ˈ r ʌ n d əm /), is a hard chemical compound containing silicon and carbon. A semiconductor, it occurs in nature as the extremely rare mineral moissanite, but has been mass-produced as a powder and crystal since 1893 for use as an abrasive .