Silica sand is abundant and has many uses, including glass making, water filtration, landscaping, concrete and brick making, metal casting, and sandblasting. It is also used in aquaria, paint, and as a non-slip surface.
Silica is the most abundant mineral on the earth’s surface, and sandy silica has many uses. It is one of the main materials used in glass making. Silica from sand is also used in landscaping, water filtration, and abrasives, and is a major component in ceramics and various building materials.
Silica sand is mixed with clay and other materials to make bricks. It is the primary material in most concrete mixes and is often used as a filler in many other aggregate paving products. Sand is also used in foundry cores and metal casting molds. Foundry sand has a high silica content, which is good for use in asphalt mix and Portland cement.
Silica from sand is commonly used in water filtration systems. The raw water is passed through a slow sand filter to remove impurities and produce water suitable for drinking, cooking and bathing. Pool filters also use silica sand to remove impurities from the water in ponds and swimming pools.
Landscaping has many applications for silica sand products. Golf courses, synthetic sports fields, playgrounds and beaches all need sand. It is often used in civil engineering projects as a fill and as an overburden to create embankments and control erosion. Sandy quartz is also used in gardening for plants that prefer sandy soil. This abundant mineral is sometimes mixed with dyes to create the decorative sand used by artists and gardeners.
Its high quartz content makes silica sand the perfect ingredient for glass. 50-65% of the mixture used to create glass is made up of quartz. This sandy quartz is mixed with other materials to create glass products with varying clarity, ranging from clear to opaque.
Sandblasting equipment propels a concentrated stream of silica sand at high velocity to clean a surface or to etch marks such as words, patterns and designs. Because silica is harmful to breathe, it is mixed with resin to prevent silica dust from forming a dust cloud that can be inhaled. Sandpaper takes advantage of the abrasive quality of sand to smooth wood and other surfaces.
There are many other uses for silica sand. Some aquarists prefer sand to gravel in their fish tanks, and sand silica is used in children’s sandboxes. The paint is mixed with silica sand to give walls and ceilings a textured finish and used on floors to create a non-slip surface. This readily available material is widely used in households and businesses all over the world.
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