What are the uses of quartz sand?

Quartz sand is a widely distributed non-metallic mineral resource. With its outstanding physical and chemical stability, it plays an indispensable role in modern industrial systems. Its application value is closely related to its purity. From traditional construction fields to cutting-edge technology industries, the level of quartz sand purification directly determines its application tier.

In traditional industrial sectors, quartz sand is consumed most extensively. Ordinary glass manufacturing constitutes its traditional market, where products like architectural flat glass and household utensils have relatively relaxed purity requirements, primarily controlling particle size and iron content. The foundry industry leverages quartz sand's superior heat resistance as the primary material for molding sand. The refractory industry processes it into silica bricks for blast furnace linings, while the ceramics industry uses it as an ultra-fine powder for glaze raw materials. Additionally, quartz sand is extensively used in water filtration media, abrasive materials, and chemical feedstocks, supporting foundational industries through its high volume and broad applicability.

Advancements in mineral processing and purification technologies are accelerating quartz sand's penetration into high-end applications. The explosive growth of the photovoltaic industry has driven rigid demand for quartz sand in ultra-clear glass production. Ultra-clear glass demands exceptionally high light transmittance and strict iron content control, requiring quartz sand raw materials to meet stringent standards: over 99.5% silica and less than 80μg/g of iron oxide. Such high-quality sand is primarily purified from low-grade resources through combined processes including scrubbing, magnetic separation, flotation, and acid treatment. It serves as a core material for solar cell covers, display components, and high-end architectural curtain walls.

Quartz sand of even higher purity (99.9% or above) enters the electronics and optical communications sectors, used to produce strategic materials like quartz crucibles, optical fiber preforms, and quartz glass for integrated circuits. These products demand ppm-level control of alkali and transition metal impurities, requiring specialized purification methods such as chlorination roasting and superconducting magnetic separation—representing the current technological pinnacle in mineral processing.