Formation of quartz sand. What is quartz sand. Creation of nature and human hands

Quartz sand is a mineral with a high content of quartz. There are two types of this sand: natural and artificial.

Natural quartz sand formed by natural crushing of quartz rocks, it is mined from developed deposits. Depending on the place of extraction of sand, it is divided into: mountain, river, dune and burial. To obtain pure quartz sand, the sand mined in quarries is first washed and cleaned of impurities, then enriched using special electrochemical installations.

To obtain artificial sand, quartz is crushed, then crushed and sieved, filtering the resulting sand according to the grain size. The size range of sand grains varies from 0.1 to 1 mm.

A distinctive feature of quartz sand is the uniformity of its structure, it consists of a single mineral - quartz. This property of sand is a determining factor in the manufacture of glass, the transparency of which directly depends on the amount of impurities.

Another defining property of crushed quartz is the acute-angled shape of its particles. The anisotropy of particles contributes to the formation of a strong bond with cement, which is actively used in the creation of building mixtures.

The large intergranular porosity of quartz sand contributes to its high dirt holding capacity, which makes it possible to use the mineral as a filter medium. Water purified with quartz sand becomes soft, clean and pleasant to the taste.

Quartz sand is resistant to aggressive environments and high temperatures, does not react to atmospheric changes, and is immune to physical and chemical influences. Therefore, it is widely used in the manufacture of cement, brick, asphalt production, it is added to concrete to obtain a matte surface. Quartz sand is used in earthenware, porcelain and chemical industries.

Despite all its advantages, quartz sand has a very reasonable price, which further increases its demand.

Sand is the most commonly used material in the 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.

According to its structure, this material 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. A mandatory procedure is calcination under the influence 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 be firmly bonded in various 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, which has an excellent color and nice view. 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. The entire modern range of cement incorporates 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 houses will serve you faithfully quite 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. To create filters that differ high cost They use quartz sand. 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 contamination of the quartz sand in the filter, the water backflow method can be used 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. reservoirs small size on suburban area require 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. A combination of black and white quartz would be an excellent choice, 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 poured over 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 makes it possible to make transparent glass from it. 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. High level of hardness, refractory chemical composition material, fire resistance - that's 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, blocks of concrete, as well as 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. Increased roughness improves wheel adhesion and pavement, 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 the mineral composition of oligomictic and polymictic sands that make up the dunes of deserts, dunes of sea coasts, and 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 the thickness of others sedimentary rocks and quarried. 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. landscape design. And even coffee warmed up in a food warmer filled with white quartz sand will delight you with its fragrant taste.

Today, quartz sand is used in various fields of human activity: construction, industry and other fields. The material is rightly considered one of the most homogeneous and pure in nature.

It has strong granules that perfectly cope with natural, mechanical and chemical destructive impact. Silica plays an important role in its composition, which accounts for 99% of the substance. In the crude form, the material contains oxides of manganese, iron, as well as clay, feldspar, and even some precious metals. Thanks to them, the grains get a reddish-brown and yellowish tone. After cleaning, quartz sand becomes white or may have a milky tint.

The main advantages of quartz sand are:

homogeneous structure;
material is environmentally friendly, does not negative impact on people's health;
round shape;
the possibility of staining in any color;
excellent sorption characteristics;
high level porosity and dirt holding capacity;
high strength, abrasion resistance;
chemical inertness;
does not burn out from the action of direct sun rays.

Quartz sand is used in the following areas:

production of concrete or masonry mortar for construction works;
in the manufacture of polymer floor coverings;
formation of road decking, gives an anti-slip effect;
production of artificial marble stones using vibrocasting;
carrying out landscape works;
production of decorative plaster;
as a decorating element, they are actively used in zoology, aquaristics and gardening;
found application in children's and "handmade" creativity.

Quartz sand has excellent sorption performance, so it is widely used for the manufacture of water filters and filter media, as well as drainage systems. For this, fine-grained material is best suited. Due to its excellent porosity and high density, it is able to improve the quality of water and purify a large volume of liquid.

The material is used in the manufacture of cement, concrete, asphalt and plasters. This is explained high performance uniformity and strength. When carrying out sandblasting, it serves as a bulk substance.

The higher the density of the sand, the higher its hygienic properties, since it is free from impurities. Such material will be optimal for housing repairs. It is also used in the production of fiberglass, porcelain, earthenware, coatings, glass and other materials.

Varieties of sand depending on its extraction

The purest is river quartz sand. Since it has the highest performance, the cost of this material is the highest. Marine sand contains silt and clay inclusions, so it is not as popular as river material.

Also, quartz sand can be mined from ravines. A feature of this material is the presence of sharp corners and a rough surface. It may contain pieces of soil and silt. Ravine sand is used in the manufacture of plasters and concrete. The mountain material has a similar shape.

In construction, gravel sand is most often used. It is located under a layer of clay and soil, mined in special quarries. The material has a rough surface, it has a special angular sharp shape.

As you can see, quartz sand is used in a wide variety of areas. He is represented various types depending on density, fraction size, shape, origin and other parameters. Having become acquainted with the features of each of them, you can choose the most suitable sand for specific purposes and tasks.