The invention relates to a method for the economic production of a blank for a component made from laser-active quartz glass in any form or dimension. The method comprises the following method steps: a) preparation of a dispersion with a solids content of at least 40 wt. %, comprising SiO2 nanopowder and doping agents, including a cation of the rare earth metals and transition metals in a fluid, b) granulation by agitation of the dispersion, with removal of moisture to form a doped SiO2 granulate of spherical porous granular particles with a moisture content of less than 35 wt. % and a density of at least 0.95 g/cm3, c) drying and purification of the SiO2 granulate, by heating to a temperature of at least 1000° C. to form doped porous SiO2 grains with an OH content of less than 10 ppm and d) sintering or fusing the doped SiO2 grains in a reducing atmosphere to give the blank made from doped quartz glass.