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This article explores what is silica sand, how it differs from regular sand, its applications.
Silica sand, also known as quartz sand, white sand, or industrial sand, is made up of two main elements: silica and oxygen. Specifically, silica sand is made up of silicon dioxide (SiO2).
The most common form of SiO2 is quartz, a chemically inert and relatively hard mineral. Quartz grades at a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it ideal for use as filtration media and abrasive blasting sands.
While quartz is typically white or colorless, it can occur in a wide range of shades. The color of each sand deposit depends largely on the variety of minerals and rock detritus that make up the resource.
For a material to be considered silica sand, it must contain at least 95% SiO2 and less than 0.6% iron oxide. If the sand does not meet these criteria, it qualifies as what's often called "regular" sand.
Silica sand differs from regular sand, also known as feldspathic sand, brown sand, or construction sand, in its silica content. Regular sand always contains some silica, but in amounts less than 95%. For instance, typical brown sand used in concrete applications may contain up to 80% SiO2, along with varying amounts of iron, carbonate, potassium, and other trace elements/minerals.
These "impurities" in regular sand make it more chemically reactive and often darker in color compared to silica sand. The color of non-silica sands (regular sands) can range from white to pink, green, and black, depending on the geological composition and geographic location of the sand deposit.
Industrial Abrasives: Silica sand is used as an abrasive material in sandblasting and other abrasive cleaning processes.
Water Filtration: Due to its high purity and ability to filter out impurities, silica sand is used in water filtration systems, particularly in municipal and industrial water treatment plants.
Glassmaking: Silica sand is a key ingredient in the production of glass. It provides the necessary silicon dioxide (SiO2) content and is used in both container glass and flat glass manufacturing.
Paints & Coatings: Silica sand is used as a filler and extender in paints and coatings. It helps improve durability, abrasion resistance, and resistance to weathering.
Ceramics & Refractories: In the ceramics industry, silica sand is used to make ceramics, including pottery, tiles, and sanitary ware. It is also used in the production of refractory bricks and materials for high-temperature applications.
Construction Materials: Silica sand is used in the construction industry for various purposes, including as a key ingredient in concrete and mortar mixes, as well as in the production of building materials such as bricks, blocks, and tiles.
How silica sand is used depends on physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics such as grain size, shape, colour, structure, and distribution, as well as refractoriness, strength and stability. These characteristics can differ depending on how the mineral is processed after it is mined.
