Composition of quartz sand. Quartz sand. What it is? Silica sand in the foundry industry

Sand is the most commonly used material in construction industry, not a single process of building construction can do without it. In practice, several types of sand are used: ravine, quartz and river. Each of them has its own characteristics of production and exploitation.

Quartz sand application, which is justified in many areas of human life, has a number of distinctive characteristics that distinguish it from other materials.

By its structure, given material- this is crushed quartz, which is formed in the natural environment, or it is obtained after special processing. The structure of the sand is homogeneous and loose. There is a division into types depending on the size of the fractions, the value of which varies between 0.05 - 3 mm. The presence of additives in the form of silica is permissible in the material.

Types of quartz sand

• rounded . The shape resembles round granules. Mining takes place in quarries or rivers. An obligatory procedure is calcination under the influence of high temperatures. The scope of sand is the formation of paths and platforms of various types.
• crushed. It is pure silicon dioxide, which has a non-uniform shape with sharp edges. Due to its absorbent properties, sand is used to clean swimming pools, artificial ponds and other bodies of water. After mining, this material is cleaned of all kinds of impurities and debris.

Note. The excellent absorbency of quartz sand allows the material to bond strongly in a variety of formulations and mixtures.

Application area

Sand is used in many areas: industrial, construction, medical, food. Also, he found his application in ordinary living conditions.

Quartz sand application in construction. The material is a frequent component in mixtures for the preparation of various building materials. For example, quartz sand is actively used when mixing the composition and forming blocks from it. The result is a durable and reliable material For the construction of houses, having an excellent color and a pleasant appearance. In addition, very often quartz sand is added to facing mixtures. To make the brick stronger and more durable, silicon dioxide is added to the mixture during its production.

Quartz sand is part of the asphalt mix as well as in the production of concrete. Whole modern assortment cement contains quartz sand. This component provides a high degree of adhesion to the surface. In addition, they are produced with quartz sand.

Given the fact that quartz sand has different shades, the plastered surface may have differences in texture and color. Due to the high strength of the material, the coating on the house will serve you faithfully for quite a long time. The addition of quartz sand to the composition of plaster mixtures provides a smooth finish.

Note.

In the manufacture of porcelain services, faience products, finely ground quartz sand is also added to the material.

We have already mentioned that quartz is used even in medicine, including pharmaceuticals.. Basically, the material is used in the manufacture of lenses. Due to its excellent abrasiveness, lenses made of quartz sand get perfect smoothness. The transparency of glasses is not lost when treated with quartz, since white quartz sand is used in the work. In addition, quartz is the main component of sandblasting used to process various materials.

Quartz sand is known for its remarkable absorption properties, so it has been successfully used to purify water from various particles and unhealthy impurities. It is quartz sand that is used to create high-cost filters. The main thing is to replace the material in a timely manner, because over time it loses its cleansing properties.

Quartz sand is also actively used for domestic purposes., including for cleaning systems . Basically, fine-grained quartz sand is used, which has an excellent ability to purify water from colloids and mechanical impurities. The very process of using quartz sand to filter water is to run water through the filter, resulting in a pure substance.

Note.

To prevent rapid pollution quartz sand in the filter, you can use the back-sweep method of water, once a week.

How often should the quartz sand in the filter be changed?

It depends on the type of reservoir and the frequency of its use. If the pool is used regularly, then the replacement is made every two years. In the case of seasonal use of the reservoir, it is enough to look into the filter installation once every five years. Ponds of small size in the summer cottage require the replacement of the filter element every two months.

In everyday life, quartz sand is used for aquariums. In addition to purifying water, sand also performs a decorative function. The material is often dyed in different colors, so you can choose any shade you like. Great choice will be a combination of black and white quartz, but bright colors will only distract the fish. Before pouring sand into the aquarium, it must be carefully processed. To do this, the sand is washed under running water and then doused with boiling water. You need to pour a layer with a slight angle of inclination towards the front wall.

Features of quartz sand

The material has the main distinguishing feature, which is that quartz sand is a monomineral, that is, it consists only of quartz. Because of this, it is so valued in the industrial field. A small content of additional elements, allows you to make from it clear glass. In addition, the so-called intergranular porosity allows you to absorb more than other types of sand can afford. It is also worth noting the excellent wear resistance and strength of grains of sand.

Chemical nature of quartz sand

Quartz crystals endow the material that is made from it with excellent operating properties. This is both strength and resistance to acids and alkalis. A high level of strength, a refractory chemical composition of the material, fire resistance - this is what quartz sand is so valued for.

Quartz sand fraction

• Dust - less than 0.1 mm;
• Fine fraction - 0.1 - 0.8 mm;
• Medium fraction - 0.8 - 1.6 mm;
• Coarse fraction - 1.6 - 6.0 mm.

The first two types of quartz sand are added to the compositions of various building materials: putty, plaster, grout, abrasives, paint. Medium-fraction sand is used for water purification, sandblasting, and is also added to mixtures for construction, finishing and decorative plasters, self-leveling floors. Coarse quartz sand is used in the production of paving slabs, concrete blocks, as well as in the creation of landscape design.

Quartz sand for sandblasting

Sandblasting is one of the effective methods processing of various surfaces. The process itself is as follows:

Directions of cleaning works:

• Removal of rust and dirt;
• Removal of fatty deposits;
• Matting glass;
• Cleaning of stone and concrete masonry;
• Roughness creation for further processing.

Self-leveling floors and quartz sand

Given polymer coating for floors refers to decorative materials. Distinctive features such floors are:

• Durability;
• Strength;
• Perfect smoothness without seams;
• hygiene;
• Wear resistance;
• Ease of operation and cleaning.

Quartz sand is used as part of self-leveling floors in order to reduce the cost of pouring work. Often, such surfaces are created under conditions of increased load on the surface of. To give attractiveness, varnishes or mastic are used.

Quartz sand in glass production

Quality requirements for quartz sand for glass making:

• Silica weight ≥ 95%;
• Clay ≤ 1%;
• iron oxide ≤ 1%.

For quality brands, the amount of silicon oxide can be at the level of 99.8%. The moisture content in dry sand is not more than 0.5%. The more additional impurities in the sand, the lower the transparency of the finished product for the glass made from it for windows, laboratories, and the electrical field. Given the scope of glass products, the issue of the degree of purification of raw materials must be given due attention.

Grades of quartz sand depending on the chemical composition:

Quartz sand and coatings for sports facilities

During the installation of sports fields and the laying of artificial grass surfaces, quartz sand is often used together with rubber-based granulate, or sand alone. Football fields fall asleep with the first composition, as it reduces the risk of injury to athletes. In addition, such coatings are created on tennis courts, children's playgrounds and school grounds. At multifunctional sites, quartz sand is poured between the grass.

Quartz sand, due to its drainage abilities, will absorb moisture during rain, and puddles will not form on the football field, for example.

Quartz sand and paving

Quartz sand, as you know, is multi-colored, which is why it in the best way suitable for marking areas of special danger or areas of increased attention. Colored quartz sand is used to mark road pedestrians, places for public transport stops, entrances to children's educational institutions and industrial facilities. The increased roughness increases the adhesion of the wheels and the road surface, thereby reducing the yaw of skidding.

What miracles are not prepared on Earth for man! Here, for example, is an amazing sight - white sand. From afar, you won’t understand right away: is it snowdrifts in the middle of summer, or mountains, or maybe table salt or another chemical? And only approaching, taking it in the palm of your hand and waking up through your fingers, you understand that this is white sand, the photo of which is given in this article. And it consists of quartz - a mineral common on Earth. Quartz is included in mineral composition oligomictic and polymictic sands that make up the dunes of deserts, dunes of sea coasts, shoals of water bodies.

Natural sand white

Deposits are found in river valleys. White river sand is the purest, it usually does not contain pollutants, as well as mountain quartz sand, weathered vein outcrops. It is quite probable to find nuggets of precious metals or their minerals in deposits of natural quartz sand. There is white sand buried under layers of other sedimentary rocks and mined in a quarry. It usually contains pollutants in the form of an admixture of clays, sandy loams, loams, polymictic sands, which are found in the thickness of quartz sands in the form of interlayers and lenses.

Creation of nature and human hands

White sand, consisting of 90-95% of quartz, is not so common and is very much appreciated as a raw material for many. The lack of natural sand can be filled - artificial quartz sand can be obtained using crushing and screening equipment. For the production of sand, monolithic blocks of milky white quartz are used, crushing which and sifting the destroyed rock, sand is obtained with certain and the right size(fractions) of particles. Artificial sand differs from natural sand in exceptional monomineralism, sharp-angled grains of sand.

Where is quartz sand used?

White sand is used to make glass. The following requirements are imposed on it: 95% of it consists of quartz, it must be medium-grained (diameter of sand grains is 0.25-0.5 mm), without admixture of substances that are sparingly soluble in the glass mass, without harmful impurities of minerals containing iron, chromium, titanium (they color the glass and increase its light absorption). Good glass sand is considered to be one that is 98.5% quartz and includes no more than 0.1% iron oxide.

It is necessary for the manufacture of chemical glassware, in instrumentation - it can withstand significant temperature changes. For molds and cores in the foundry of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, quartz sand is also used, which is called molding sand in metallurgy. The quality of this sand is determined by its shape and the shape of the particles that affect the gas permeability, and the amount of impurities that reduce the refractoriness of the sands. It is necessary that the sands do not contain minerals with a high content of sulfur and phosphorus, which are harmful to metal casting. Quartz sand is used for production and "sandpaper" - for this sand is melted with graphite and carborundum is obtained, second only to diamond in hardness. The exceptional dirt-holding capacity (sorption capacity) of quartz sand is used in filters for water purification from iron and manganese oxides. This sand is used in construction for plastering surfaces and for the production of finishing panels, Use in landscaping. And even coffee warmed up in a food warmer filled with white quartz sand will delight you with its fragrant taste.

The most famous and widespread mineral, a fossil located in the thickness of the earth's crust, is quartz. Silicon dioxide, the formula of this compound is SiO2. Deposits of quartz rock are found in many parts of the world. There are dozens of its varieties, one of them, white quartz, is most widely used in production, for the manufacture technical grades glass, and metallic silicon is also obtained from it. It is used as the main component in metal, and not only alloys. Quartz sand is obtained by crushing and screening white quartz.

The main properties of quartz sand:

• High resistance to all types of influences, whether physical, chemical, water or atmospheric destructive action.
• High porosity and density - this characterizes this material as an excellent filter.
• Since quartz sand is a monomineral rock, and this is its main advantage in comparison with other sands of natural origin. There are more than a hundred deposits of quartz sand in Russia.

There is such a thing as primary and secondary quartz. The fundamental difference is the place of origin and the extraction of the mineral rock. The extraction of quartz sand in places of natural origin of the rock is the extraction of primary quartz. This mineral has been in the layers of the earth's crust for a long time, without access and exposure to air and water.

The crystals of such sand have correct form, resembling a cube, with more or less right angles. The absence of elongated corners and other flaws does not prevent sealing. Such high-quality sand is used as a filter filler, since the high density of the stacked grains delays different types pollution, or for the sandblasting process. Quartz sand of natural origin has a translucent, white color.

With the help of special equipment, the extracted sand is transported to processing enterprises. From the kaolin mixture, the mineral is washed out in water. Carrying out processing and careful analysis, classifies the material according to the quality mark.

Where is secondary quartz sand mined? This is a sand of natural origin, an exceptional feature is that this sand is carried by water from the deposit. That is The groundwater or due to faults in the surface of the earth's crust, water flows into the bowels of fossils and bring them to the surface.

Being outside, the mineral rock is exposed to the elements, which produces a natural grinding of sand crystals, erasing corners and edges. Such sand is also exposed to chemical attack, therefore it is not environmentally friendly. If the sand consists of impurities, then this can be determined by color, since natural quartz is exclusively white color, and the chemical composition paints it in colors that are characteristic of a particular element. Therefore, the area where quartz sand of this grade is used is significantly narrowed. Application for sandblasting or for filling filters is not desirable, as providing effective result impossible.

In order to melt a product containing quartz, it is necessary to reach a melting temperature of 1050 to 1700 degrees Celsius, depending on the fractions. Such a high thermal conductivity of quartz sand and electrical strength make it possible to use it as an ideal insulating material in transformers. For this purpose, the most suitable sand with rounded crystals. The extraction of such a mineral is carried out from quarries, or from the bottom of reservoirs.

To obtain crushed quartz sand, rock, large fractions of primary or secondary quartz are used. Crushing is carried out in order to achieve that optimal size grains of sand, most in demand in most areas of production. Sand crystals obtained by this method have an irregular shape, with elongated corners, or, on the contrary, flat shapes. This sand looks prickly in appearance. Such material can be used, for example, in architectural design. Chemical industry uses in its production this raw material, resistant to alkalis and acids. The rock is mined in quarries.

The production of quartz sand is divided into three classes: glass grade sand, molding and fractional grades. The elitism of the material indicates high price quartz sand, its use is economically acceptable for technical processes, without which it would be difficult to achieve certain goals.

The true density of quartz sand is in the range of 2600 - 2700 kg / m. cube, and its bulk density reaches 1400 kg / m3. The size of a sand crystal can reach a size of 0.1 to 3 mm. The moisture content of sand in the wet state should not exceed 6.0%, the wet state does not exceed 0.4%, after drying, approximately 0.5%. On the Mohs scale, the hardness index is - 7. The maximum melting point of sand reaches a temperature of over 1000 degrees Celsius.

What is quartz sand for, its scope

In which area a certain type of sand is used, it all depends on its technical characteristics. The highest requirements for raw materials used in the glass industry. For the production of glass containers, fiberglass, ceramics, porcelain and other products, sand fractions from 0.1 to 0.4 mm are used. In metallurgy, molding sand is used. Products in which an admixture of quartz sand are characterized by high refractoriness. Fractional sand is used in the manufacture of finishing materials in construction.

Large fractions have found wide application in landscape design. Quartz chips are used for decorative coating tracks. In order to give the landscape a touch of luxury, it should be noted why this expensive material is needed in the design of the territory.

From quartz sand, various decorative elements are made at home. In creativity, as an aquarium decoration, they use quartz sand, painted in various colors. There are many ways to color with my own hands. Filters for domestic conditions and for cleaning pools are filled with sand fractions from 0.1 to 1 mm. Why use sand with such small crystals for this purpose? When placed in the tank, the grains of sand form a dense layer through which the water passing through is purified, and the contaminants remain in the filter.

To understand what kind of quartz sand to use in sandblasting, it is first important to know what type of surface will be processed.

All the best is given to us by the Earth. Quartz sand is a natural material that differs not only in strength and beauty, but also in durability. The best thing that anyone who wants to use this noble mineral could do is to use it as a designer decoration of their territory and home, as well as a security tool that provides high fire protection.

How to choose the right quartz sand

Quartz sand is a granular material of mineral origin. It is formed as a result of the destruction of quartz-containing rocks. The distribution in the earth's crust is very wide.

The size of sand fractions varies between 0.1-6 mm. Quartz rocks often contain various impurities in the form of clay carbonates, iron oxides, feldspars and other rocks. They give quartz (naturally transparent or white) various shades. The color scheme changes from yellow to red-brown and even black.

Pure quartz sands have a minimum of inert impurities: up to 99% of the composition is silica. Chemical formula SiO2. The color of quartz sand without impurities is milky.

Quartz sand is divided into two varieties: a material of natural and artificial origin.

The former is found in the form of enriched quartz sand of various fractions and is mined in a developed deposit by mechanical means. The second also has a natural origin: the raw material is crushed vein quartz - a custom rock (pure quartz). For extraction, a drilling and blasting method is used, and then the resulting material is crushed for further use.

Quartz sand is divided into several categories by origin. River, mountain and cellar sand is mined, respectively, on the banks of rivers, in places where rocks come out and under the soil at a certain depth. The river variety contains a minimum amount of contaminants.

Quartz sand is also divided according to the shape of the grains into rounded and crushed. Rounded has the appearance of rounded grains, crushed looks like uneven chipped grains.

Mining and production of quartz sand

The extraction of quartz fractional sand is carried out open way from a quarry or a dredger from natural deposits in floodplains of rivers and lakes.

A small amount of impurities and a large amount of quartz - this is what distinguishes developments in which quartz sand is mined from quarries in which ordinary construction sand is mined. The extracted raw material goes through a series technological processes: flushing from mud deposits and cleaning from impurities by a chemical method.

This process is called enrichment, it serves to obtain sand of the required quality. As a result, the content of quartz rock increases, and the purest material is obtained, which, after drying in special installations, passes through a series of sieves and is distributed into fractions. The resulting product is called fractionated quartz sand.

The process of extraction by a dredger is as follows: a mixture of sand and water from the bottom of the reservoir is pumped and transferred through a special pipeline to the storage site. Water gradually separates from the extracted soil and goes back into the reservoir through the drains. The resulting material is sent to the enterprise for its further enrichment and separation into fractions.

Artificial quartz sand is obtained from veined quartz rock, which is first sent to the crushing complex. There, the raw material is crushed into grains. Then follow the same procedures as when working with quarry sand: the material is washed, dried and separated by a technical sieve into fractions.

Characteristics and properties of quartz sand

Features of quartz sand

The peculiarity of quartz sand, which distinguishes it from other types of sand, is that this material is monomineral, that is, it consists of only one mineral - quartz. This homogeneity makes it a valuable industrial raw material. A small proportion of impurities makes it possible to obtain glass with a high degree of transparency from raw materials.

Another feature is intergranular porosity. Compared to other materials, quartz sand provides the highest dirt holding capacity. In addition to this property, the degree of wear of sand grains is low, and quartz sand already shows itself excellently as a filter material.

Chemical properties of quartz sand

The crystalline structure of quartz gives it and the sand derived from it exceptional strength and resistance to alkali and acid materials. Very high hardness, refractoriness and chemical composition of quartz sand cause its increased fire resistance and fire safety. The material in its properties corresponds to a dielectric and is inert to a wide range of chemicals.

Physical properties of quartz sand

Sand is characterized by all the properties of quartz:

bulk density 1300-1500 g / cm3 abrasion - 0.1 crushability - 0.3 hardness (Mohs scale) - 7 (for comparison, the hardness of diamond - 10) use by radioactivity - 1 class

The density of quartz sand is determined by two different approaches.

There is bulk density, and there is true density. Bulk is calculated as the ratio of the mass of the material in a bulk state to its volume. This value includes the pores in the sand grains and the air spaces between them.

That is given value may vary depending on the moisture content of the material. True density - a constant value, is the ratio of a substance in an absolutely dense state to its volume. The moisture content of the sand does not matter.

To change the density, the chemical composition or molecular structure must be changed. Bulk density is less than true. The density of the material is an important characteristic that must be taken into account when calculating the places for storage, its transportation and movement by handling equipment.

Abrasion, crushability and hardness of quartz sand are indirect indicators of its strength. To determine the values, grains are tested on a rotating abraded metal circle, mechanically compressing the mass of fractions and scratching the standard grain and, conversely, the grain standard.

Fractions of quartz sand:

dusty - less than 0.1 mm fine-grained: 0.1-0.8 mm medium-grained: 0.8 - 1.6 mm; coarse-grained: 1.6 - 6.0 mm

Pulverized and fine-grained quartz sand is used as part of various building materials, such as building mixtures, putties, grouts, abrasive materials, thin plasters and paints.

Quartz sand of medium grain size is used for filtering and cleaning liquids, for sandblasting, for building mixtures, facade and interior plasters, self-leveling floors, concrete solutions, in landscaping, for backfilling sports grounds.

The material of large fractions is used for the manufacture of paving slabs, concrete blocks, landscape decoration. It is also used for filtering.

Sand of all fractions is used in the glass, foundry and chemical industries.

Application of quartz sand

For water purification and filtration

Chemical and physical properties quartz sand provide ideal qualities for use as a water filter. Drinking or technical water, including in pools, can be qualitatively and easily purified from mechanical impurities and reduce the content of iron, fluorides, chlorides, sulfates, salts of heavy metals and other harmful impurities. Excellent adhesive properties help to attract dirt to the surface of the grains of sand.

Quartz filter sand is used in the first stage of multi-stage household and industrial filters for preliminary mechanical cleaning. Multiple use is possible, as the material is easily washed when contaminated by water-air washing. The use of a quartz sand filter extends the life of subsequent filter stages.

Sandblasting

One of the most effective techniques surface cleaning - sandblasting. Quartz sand or other abrasive is sprayed onto the surface (glass, metal, stone, wood) to be cleaned using a compressed air or water jet.

The grains of sand fly at great speed and destroy the top layer of the surface, cleaning it from scale, corrosion and other coatings. It is necessary to ensure that together with the removed layer, for example, mold on old masonry, the stone itself is not damaged. quartz sand for sandblasting must be selected taking into account the surface material, the degree of contamination and further processing.

Main areas of work:

cleaning metal from rust and other contaminants; degreasing surfaces; matting glass; cleaning concrete and masonry; roughening the surface for further processing.

Today there is a wide variety of abrasive materials, but dry quartz sand remains the most popular for sandblasting.

Quartz sand for self-leveling floors

Resin floors filled with quartz sand are durable, seamless, non-slip and hygienic and easy to clean. Quartz sand for self-leveling floors - good way cheaper traditional self-leveling floor.

This material is suitable for both new coatings and existing concrete floors. Most often, polymer floors are used in rooms with significant abrasive loads on concrete surface. Self-leveling floors in this case are used as a finishing decorative coating.

It has a smooth and attractive surface, excellent resistance to stress. Such a floor is characterized by low abrasion, since the polymer in this case acts as a binder, and the main functional load associated with wear is borne by a quartz filler, the abrasion of which is extremely low. To save decorative properties the floor must be covered with mastic, protective varnish or wax.

Silica sand in the foundry industry

Molding quartz sand is used in metallurgical industry for the manufacture of casting molds and cores. The quality of casting into one-off molds is directly related to the characteristics of the foundry sand.

The accuracy of the casting, its surface quality, the structure and properties of the casting alloys, the likelihood of developing defects and the need for complex finishing operations are very dependent on the characteristics of the sand. The complex of operations associated with the manufacture of a mold accounts for approximately 60% of the labor costs for obtaining castings. Molding quartz sands have a uniformity coefficient of 72 to 80% and are characterized by increased strength and fire resistance.

Glass production

The glass industry is one of the main consumers of quartz sand. Glass quartz sand intended for glass making must meet special requirements. In the material, the proportion of silicon oxide should be at least 95%, clay impurities should be no more than 1%, iron oxide - no more than 1%.

In high grades, the content of silicon oxide reaches 99.8%. Moisture in dried sand should be no more than 0.5%. The proportion of impurities in the sand directly affects the transparency of the glass made from it.

Quartz sand is the basis for the manufacture of all types of glass. Ordinary window, medical, fiberglass, laboratory, electronics and so on are made from the same material. Therefore, great attention is paid to the purification of raw materials in the production of quartz sand.

Depending on the chemical composition sand is classified according to grades that have letter designation and purpose:

OOVS - products of special responsibility with high translucency; OVS - products with high translucency; VS - products with high translucency; C - translucent products; B - colorless products; PB - semi-white products; PS - products with reduced translucency; T - dark glass -green.

For sports surfaces

When organizing sports grounds with artificial grass coverage, quartz sand infill in combination with rubber granulate or quartz sand alone can be used. On football fields use composite composition: rubber crumb softens friction in the event of a sliding fall of the player. On tennis courts, multifunctional playgrounds, school stadiums and training grounds, only quartz sand is poured between the grass.

The excellent drainage properties of sand, provided that the grass is laid on the field correctly, is a guarantee that even during precipitation, puddles and mud will not form on the field. Quartz sand for sports surfaces is environmentally friendly, neutral to nature and proven durability. Thus, the use of quartz sand as an artificial turf substrate gives a special comfort when playing and training on sports grounds.

For road surfaces

Silica paving sand can be used to mark places heightened danger and special attention.

Colored material can be used to highlight road crossings, public transport stops, entrances to industrial facilities or schools. Sharp turns on high-speed highways covered with quartz chips will reduce the danger of passing through such sections. Increased roughness will improve wheel traction and reduce the risk of skidding.

You can use quartz sand for garden paths and paths, as well as pedestrian areas. Excellent decorative and hygienic properties will allow you to keep walking alleys in the proper form without much effort.

Silica sand is almost indispensable in many applications and is one of the most important components for home and production.

Technologies with its application have been worked out to perfection. Attractive natural color, as well as the possibility of painting in any shade due to its excellent absorbent properties, expands the usual scope of applications. For the practicality of the material, you can put the highest score.

Quartz sand is a material that is of natural origin and is distinguished by such characteristics as chemical inertness, fracture resistance, strength, and sorption capacity. Most often it is used in the filtration of oil products and water, for the production of finishing and building materials, as well as in the creation of swimming pools. Now about everything in more detail.

Filtration ability

Silica sand for filters is used much more often than any other natural material. The fact is that its porosity is much greater compared to ordinary crushed sand.

This, in turn, provides it with the highest dirt holding capacity and sorption capacity, due to which even elements such as manganese and dissolved iron are removed from the water. For the same reason, quartz sand for swimming pools, artificial pond or lakes, or rather, for their filtration system, are almost always used. The recommended fractions in these cases range from 0.4 to 6.0 millimeters.

Use in construction

Quartz sand is widely used in the construction industry, in particular, when creating polyurethane and epoxy floors. In this case, it should have a coarse-grained fraction.

The use of this material in the manufacture of plasters and building mixtures is due to its high chemical resistance, mechanical resistance to crushing and abrasion, as well as color stability. Fine fractions are well suited for sandblasting when processing glass, concrete and metal. The material is also used in the production of artificial stone.

Other areas

The use of quartz sand is not limited to all of the above. It is often used in the construction of greenhouse drainage systems, drilling of water wells, as a feed for poultry, and as a filler for electrical insulators and waterproofing material. Lately this kind of sand can be found in aquarium and landscape design.

Production

Being quite common natural material, quartz sand directly from the quarry does not directly fall into filters, building materials or other areas of application. This can be primarily explained by the nuance that in order to solve certain problems it is necessary to select a suitable fraction. In addition, sand usually contains a large number of various impurities, and therefore the material needs to be pre-treated, which is a rather complicated process.

Application features

The appearance of ready-to-use quartz sand is preceded by several operations at once, including the purification of raw materials from impurities, drying, fractionation, dosage and packaging.

At the same time, the importance of the fraction for this material should never be underestimated, because in certain industries (for example, in the production of glass) it plays a key role. Another important criterion that characterizes quartz sand is its lack of chemical reaction. This concerns, first of all, construction, because after hardening cement mortars or concrete, undesirable consequences may occur.

Quartz sand is made from quartz, a natural mineral found in in large numbers. Quartz is crushed into small fractions, resulting in fractions ranging in size from 0.01 to 3 mm in diameter.

Depending on the size of the fraction, not only the price changes, but also the purpose of the sand. Bulk material is obtained as a result of either natural crushing or artificial. As a result, the mineral turns into fractions of different sizes, which are further used for various purposes.

Composition and chemical-physical properties of quartz sand

The composition of quartz sand is regulated by GOST 21-38, TU. According to this GOST, the composition must contain at least 95% silicon oxide, the presence of clay is permissible no more than 1%, iron no more than 1%.

Humidity should not exceed 10%. The color of sand depends on the impurities in it, for example, the presence of titanium in the composition gives the sand a pink color, iron - brown, pure quartz has a milky hue or has no color. Burnt sand is usually yellow.

However, there are other requirements as well.

For example, if sand is intended for the silicate industry, it can be divided into three classes. Class A must have at least 70% silicon oxide, B - at least 60%, C - at least 50%. Sand for the glass industry is divided into levels of translucency.

Quartz sand is a very hard, refractory and refractory material, resistant to acids and alkalis, not afraid of temperature changes, and is also a dielectric.

These properties allow it to be used in various industries. Moreover, the use of quartz sand in a particular area depends on its specific characteristics. The quartz sand offered by us has undergone the heat treatment required to eliminate moisture and improve the quality of the sand.

Applications of quartz sand

Calcined quartz sand is used:

for sandblasting, in the manufacture of dry building mixtures, in landscape design, urban landscaping, when laying paving slabs, gunning.

Calcined quartz sand is more expensive than other types, the cost of quartz sand is explained by the fact that the processing process itself is quite expensive. However, the quality of this type of sand is much higher - the firing process allows you to thoroughly clean quartz sand from impurities, including clay and gravel, after which the sand is sifted fractionally and packed in big bags - special synthetic containers that protect the material from dirt and humidity. Which also affects the quality of the sand.

In sandblasting, fine-grained quartz sand is usually used. In many countries, dry sandblasting is prohibited due to high risks, in Russia, this process requires the use of a cleaning suit and careful safety precautions. In addition, hydro-cleaning is used - the supply of abrasives under running water, it is safer.

For dry building mixes are used different kinds quartz sand, both fine and coarse. The latter are in demand in the manufacture decorative plaster and other decorative mixtures.

In landscape design and urban landscaping, quartz sand is used to sprinkle paths, create gardens, even in sandboxes.

When laying paving slabs, sand is used as a substrate, and in shotcrete - as sand in a cement-sand mortar.

Conclusion

Quartz sand is required in so many areas, from construction and renovation to landscaping, sandblasting and landscaping. The properties and characteristics of quartz sand make it unique material, strong, reliable and durable.

Ordinary white quartz sand is also actively used for landscape design, designers are very fond of using it as a coating for paths. You have probably seen colored coarse-grained sand in souvenir shops and aquariums, fine- and medium-grained sand is also used for cleaners and filters, including for pools. Quartz flour is used in the glass industry, in the foundry industry and in many other industries.

Sand is the most important material, without which it is almost impossible to imagine any big construction no minor repairs. To date, there are three main types of such material: river, quartz and ravine. Accordingly, each has a name according to its origin.

The main applications of quartz sand are: finishing materials, glass production, road marking paint, filtration and water treatment.

But quartz sand is becoming more and more popular every day. What is it?

And what is its main purpose? It is very important to know all this if you want to use such material in construction. Therefore, we will consider these points in more detail.

Characteristics and main properties of quartz sand

Table of application of quartz sand depending on the fraction.

Quartz sand is loose quartz - the most durable material in nature. Such sand can be obtained both naturally, when natural stone crushing occurs, and artificially, when quartz is deliberately crushed. But most often quartz is crushed independently.

Quartz sand is most often a very loose homogeneous material, which, depending on the specific subspecies of quartz and the nature of its crushing, differs in fractions. The minimum grain size will be about 0.05 mm, the maximum - 3 mm. Very often quartz material contains additional impurities in small quantities, but may contain up to 90% silica.

Whatever way it is mined, it undergoes additional thorough cleaning, sifting, and also sorting into fractions. This makes it possible to divide the material into grades, as well as to weed out low-quality sand and debris from it.

It has several more properties that distinguish it favorably from all other types of sand. This is a high adsorption capacity, an unusual resistance to mechanical and thermal stress, and a high degree of adhesion to various materials and mixtures.

Basically, building materials that are obtained by industrial mining are of natural origin. These include the most common mineral on our planet - quartz, which is 99% silica. The mass of granules formed from rocks under the influence of natural influences is called natural quartz sand. Mineral elements that are obtained as a result of mechanical crushing of the rock are called "artificial sand".

Not only silicon dioxide is in this bulk material, but also a small amount of impurities that give the quartz one shade or another. Pink color indicates the content of titanium elements, the brown color is given by ferruginous inclusions. Sand without impurities is distinguished by a milky color or yellowish, of a different palette.

Its exceptional strength and stability is due to its crystalline structure. For the same reason, quartz is chemically inert to many substances, including acid-containing and alkaline materials, and it also has dielectric properties.

Main specifications talk about its features and indicate areas of application:

1. natural density, equal to 2600 - 2700 kg / m3, is used for calculations necessary for preparation cement-sand mortars and concretes;

2. Approximate thermal conductivity of about 0.3 W/m2°C depends on the distribution of particles in space and the minimum gaps between them;

3. the maximum melting point is within 1050°C and indicates its use as a refractory and fireproof material;

4. high intergranular porosity of quartz sand, coupled with a slight abrasion of particles, equal to 0.1 g/cm 2 , makes it possible to use it as a filter;

5. volumetric weight, depending on the condition, can be in the range of 1,500–1,600 kg/m3;

6. A significant Mohs hardness rating of 7, which is 3 units different from diamond, indicates use as an abrasive.

Sand is subdivided into other classifications, including grain shape and fractional composition.

According to the first parameter, it is divided into the following types:

• Rounded, having a rounded surface. Therefore, it was used on playgrounds and sports fields as a non-traumatic shock-absorbing substrate that softens the blows when falling.
• Crushed, with jagged edges, taking its name from the manufacturing method. After machining it is screened and divided into fractions.

Sand consisting of a single mineral is conditionally divided, depending on the size of the grains, into fineness classes in the following way:

• the pulverized fraction includes granules smaller than 0.1 mm that have passed through the sieve holes with this diameter;
• particle size 0.1-0.25 mm - fine-grained;
• in the middle fraction, the particle size is 0.25-0.5 mm;
• grains of coarse sand are in the range of 0.5-1.0 mm;
• crumb has a grain size of 1.0-3.0 mm.

Applications

This material is known in the industry as quartz construction sand, the dusty and fine-grained fraction of which is used as part of building mixtures, paints, putties. Large fraction is used in the manufacture of:

• paving slabs;
• silicate bricks;
• refractory concrete blocks;
• in landscape design;
• in road surfaces, as an anti-slip element.

This sand does not include molding LPK-5, but it is also used in construction, as it is an ingredient in synthetic resins, cement, betonite;

• Glass industry sand containing iron oxide, depending on its quantity, is used for the manufacture or glass bottles, or porcelain, or ceramics. It is one of the components of the composition of fiberglass and is responsible for imparting insulating properties to electrical products.
• Forming or LPK-5, has found its application in the foundry industry due to its high refractoriness and increased hardness. These characteristics play a major role in the manufacture of core and casting molds.
• For sandblasting - abrasive, with a minimum moisture content of 0.1% and different sizes particles, depending on the purpose of the cleaning aggregates and the surface material. Coarse fraction is used for primary cleaning. Medium and fine-grained is used in the finishing stage and in the final grinding.

Also used in this way:

• for filtering pools;
• in poultry farming, as an additive to feed that improves the process of grinding grain;
• as a heating surface for brewing coffee in catering establishments.

sand cost

The price depends on many parameters, including:

• from the uniqueness of the deposit;
• colors;
• mining features;
• transport distance;
• packaging (in bags or MKR);
• fractionation (the larger the size, the higher the cost).

Sand can be bought packaged in polypropylene valve bags weighing 25 and 50 kg. For production purposes, it is sold in tons.

In bags of the correct rectangular shape, the safety of all the characteristics of quartz is ensured and space is saved. They can withstand heavy weight, resist moisture.

Cost for private buyers:

For buyers of several bags, sellers provide discounts corresponding to the quantity purchased.