Quartz

Quartz (Silica SiO2) is the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust. It is commonly found in sandstones, pegmatites, granites, and other igneous rocks. Quartz forms veins within rock cracks due to heat and pressure. The formation of quartz crystals depends largely on the temperature and environment when cooling occurs. These crystals may also be found in geodes—hollow rocks lined with crystals. Quartz features a hexagonal crystal structure, made of trigonal crystallized silica, and is highly diverse in terms of its varieties, colors, and forms. Among all minerals, quartz is one of the purest, possessing stable physical properties.

Quartz is renowned for its hardness, chemical inertness, and high melting point, a result of the strong atomic bonds in its structure. These characteristics make it highly resistant to weathering, which is why it is widely used in industries such as foundries and filtration systems. Its transparency to translucency and vitreous luster make it valuable in the glass and ceramics industries. Furthermore, quartz’s strength, silicon dioxide content, and non-reactive nature make it an essential ingredient in the production of thousands of everyday products.

We supply Quartz in lumps, grits/sands, and powder forms for various industrial applications.

Quartz Sand/Grains in the Glass Industry

Quartz, often referred to as silica sand, plays a critical role in the production of float glass, fiberglass, automotive glass, clear container glass, Borosil glass, and more. We manufacture quartz powder for high-purity glass, ensuring minimal contamination by metal oxides and other foreign particles, thanks to heavy magnetic separators. This quartz is available in mesh sizes ranging from 25 to 32 or in specific sizes like 0.1mm-0.3mm, 0.3mm-1.2mm, 0.5mm-0.1mm, and 1.2mm-0.3mm.

Fused Quartz (Silica glass) or vitreous silica glass (SiO2) is specifically used for high-temperature applications due to its low thermal expansion and exceptional resistance to weathering and alkali leaching. Withstanding temperatures between 1000 to 1500°C, this quartz is ideal for furnace tubes, melting crucibles, flat glass, and automotive glass hollow structures, especially where thermal expansion, hardness, and specific gravity are important considerations.

Ceramics Industry

Quartz is a key ingredient in fireproof ceramics, fine ceramics, tableware, floor and wall tiles, sanitary ceramics, porcelain, and glazes. In ceramic bodies, silica serves as a structural framework where clays and flux components bind. It modifies thermal expansion, regulates drying, and prevents shrinkage, thus improving the structural integrity and appearance of ceramic products.

Quartz powder, typically semi or snow-white in color with over 90% whiteness (A-grade), is highly valued for its purity and is commonly used in tableware manufacturing due to its non-contaminating properties. In ceramics, large quantities of quartz powder, often in 200, 300, and 325# meshes, are used in both bodies and glazes.

Paint Industry

Industrial sands, including micron-sized quartz particles, are essential for enhancing the appearance and durability of architectural and industrial paints and coatings. High-purity silica in paints contributes to brightness, color consistency, and reflectance, while improving dirt, mildew, crack resistance, and weatherproofing.

In architectural paints, silica fillers help improve tint retention and durability, while maintaining the product’s finish and longevity. Additionally, low oil absorption allows for higher pigment loading, improving overall color quality. Fine quartz sand is often used in floor paints that are subjected to heavy abrasion, and it is available in mesh sizes ranging from 30 to 350#.