In this post we’re going to answer three common questions about silica sand:
Synonym: Silica, fumed, Silica, Silicic anhydride, Silicon dioxide amorphous, Silicon dioxide. To participate in the 911Metallurgist Forums, be sure to JOIN & LOGIN Use Add New Topic to ask a New Question/Discussion about Hydrometallurgy. OR Select a Topic that Interests you. Use Add Reply = to Reply/Participate in a Topic/Discussion (most frequent). Using Add Reply allows you to Attach Images or PDF files and provide a more complete input. Use Add Comment = to comment on someone else.
Silica-scaled Chrysophytes
- What is silica sand?
- How is silica sand different from regular sand?
- What is silica sand used for?
If you want to jump right into what silica sand is used for, here are seven of the most common uses for silica sand in 2019:
- Golf courses & sports fields
- Industrial abrasives
- Filtration media
- Glassmaking
- Paints & coatings
- Ceramics
- Construction materials
Let’s get started!
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).
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The most common form of SiO2 is quartz – a chemically inert and relatively hard mineral. SiO2 grades at a 7 out of 10 on Mohs hardness scale, making it ideal for use as filtration media and abrasive blasting sands.
Although quartz is often white or colourless, it can come in a wide range of shades. The colour of each sand deposit depends largely on the variety of minerals and rock detritus that make up the resource.
In order to be considered a silica sand the material must contain at least 95% SiO2 and less than 0.6% iron oxide. If the sand does not meet this criteria, it will qualify as what’s often called ‘regular’ sand.
How Silica Sand Is Different From Regular Sand
Regular sand, also known as feldspathic sand, brown sand, or construction sand, will always contain some silica, but only in amounts less than 95%. For example, typical brown sand used for concrete applications can contain up to 80% SiO2, along with varying amounts of iron, carbonate, potassium, and other trace elements/minerals.
These ‘impurities’ make regular sand more chemically reactive and often darker in colour when compared to silica sand. The color for non-silica sands (regular sands) can be various shades white, pink, green, and black as well – depending on the geological makeup and geographic location of the sand deposit.
What Is Silica Sand Used For?
There are a number of different uses for silica sand in the industrial and commercial sectors, from golf courses to glassmaking. Silica sand is a commercial and consumer product that is widely available throughout North America.
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.
Here are seven common uses for silica sand in 2019:
1. Golf Courses & Sports Fields
Silica sand is used for bunkers and greens on golf courses, as well as for natural and synthetic sports fields. Those sand traps you find yourself stuck in way too often when you’re playing eighteen are usually full of silica sand. It’s also used to maintain greens and fairways because of its ability to support drainage and natural plant growth. For turf fields, silica sand is used as the main structural component of an uncontaminated filtration media.
2. Industrial Abrasives
Silica sand is commonly used as a mineral abrasive for industrial blasting. Though blasting with silica sand can create dangerous dust, exposure is easily avoided by following recommended PPE (personal protective equipment) guidelines and/or by coating the sand with solutions designed to control dust.
3. Water Filtration
One of the most common uses of silica sand is in water filtration, whether processing well water or filtering your tap water. Because of its uniform shape and size, silica sand is an effective filtration bed that consistently removes contaminants from water. Also, it does not degrade when exposed to acidic chemicals.
4. Glassmaking
Silica sand is a major ingredient in the production of glassmaking—in fact, silica is the primary component in standard glass products ranging from windows to beer bottles. The purity of the silica sand used plays a role in determining the color, strength and clarity of the final product.
5. Paints & Coatings
Silica sand is used in paints and coatings to improve the overall look and durability of the paint. Silica fillers improve paint’s tint reduction and dirt resistance, and because of silica sand’s oil-absorption properties it makes a durable coating that’s rich in pigment and resistant to wear and tear.
6. Ceramics & Refractories
Silica is an important component in the construction and glazing of all types of ceramics including tableware, floor tiles, wall tiles, and more. Silica serves as the structural backbone of ceramic products helping to regulate expansion and shrinkage, ensuring ceramics dry properly, and improving the overall durability of the ceramic items.
7. Construction Materials
Silica sand (often called industrial sand when used for this purpose) is the main structural component in a number of construction products. Flooring, mortars, cement, roofing shingles, asphalt, and other industrial materials all use silica to improve durability and structural integrity. As silica is resistant to weather, wear and corrosion, it is often used as a caulk or sealant.
Silica sand has a range of uses in everyday life across multiple industries.
If you want to learn more, or if you’re interested in ordering silica sand, get in touch with Shaw Resources today to request a quote.
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Removing Dissolved Silica in Copper SX (7 replies and 1 comment)
I need to know more about silica’s impact on copper SX and best practices for dissolved silica for its removal.
The dissolved Si would create high Aqueous Continuity Phase Disengagement Time (AC PDT) in extraction – the extractors need to run in OC and in stripping the instability of OC continuity due to its precipitation in high acidic medium – it would require more than 3 of O/A ratio to maintain the OC PDT. The solution to this would be the use of coagulant (and flocculent) prior to the PBC to precipitate it out, but this is quite tricky as the coagulant might impact the SX PDTs. The coagulant should be added first at relatively low dosage and then some flocculent to help in settling out the coagulated silica. The coagulant should also be diluted before it addition and the addition point should be in the place where there is a quite vigorous agitation.
If you can't prevent or minimize Si dissolution then call in the pros - flocculent can be as bad as Si for PDT.
A product called Polysil ® which is being used commercially in the copper belt as well. This product coagulates colloidal silica to allow flocculent to be effective. Colloidal silica particles are extremely small and therefore not amenable to flocculation. Although these particles are small, they are very numerous which can result in major problems with phase separation and entrainment losses. As mentioned it is easy to overdose flocculent/coagulant, and depending on the product used it can cause other problems. However, this product is quite safe to use and cannot be overdosed due to the nature of the coagulant.
The better solution is to minimize the Si dissolution in avoiding the direct contact of concentrated acid with ore at leaching. The conc. acid should be diluted in the raffinate stream before being pumped to leaching tanks…Otherwise when “dosed correctly” the use of the combination coagulant – flocculent can help.
I have had success using a combined treatment of two different coagulation agents on two separate operations going back 14 years ago. It worked by tying up the silica so it did not react in SX. It did not take off as the conferences of the time and 'experts' were all too focused on religiously promoting Spintek filters, and were not open to any other suggestions. A paper was presented at Alta in Brisbane on the discovery. I believe the patent on the discovery has expired now, so you are free to use it. Be wary of using just any coagulant/flocculent, as some will react with the organic. You also need good dose control and technical support as overdosing will cause other issues.
In our SX the PLS feed is 1000 to 2000 gpl SiO2, we have the problem of the PDT in AC but in OC is right 120 seconds, we run all SX stage in OC to solve this problem. The PLS feed prepare every day content 1200 gpl SiO2 and the free acid it's very high 18 gpl, before this solution feed we spray on copper ore heap dolomites after we collect the solution where the SiO2 is removed 50 percent means 600 gpl SiO2 and the free acid is down.
Mi M. Bill Can you explain please, how you are clearly separate 50% of silica from the PLS
Dissolved silica is a kind of disease in copper belt in DRC,its impact on SX operation is terrible and mainly when the ore does contain a lot of silica species and processed by agitation leach
How to convert chk to jpg. patty is right in saying that no conc. acid should not be added directly in contact with ore and dilute through another stream such raffinate.
Any coagulant to be used need to be prior tested for SX operations compatibility as in some plant trial end up with issue of PDTs
Dissolved silica has also impact on equipment like dual media filter, also in EW it polymerized due to high acid in spent and causes copper quality.
Please
Silica Sx 400
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