Silica sands are especially used for the production of container glass and flat glass. Clean silica sands with Fe2O3 concentrations significantly lower than 100 ppm are essential for manufacturing optical glasses and glass for the solar industry. X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) is the method of choice for the material analysis of silica sand of all kinds, because you can quantify the main component SiO2 (mostly over 98 %) next to the Fe2O3 traces as well as the unwanted oxides of feldspar and clays (Na2O, MgO, Al2O3, K2O, CaO) in one measurement step.

High purity silica sands are not only used for the production of dental ceramics but also as filler material for paints and varnishes. The material analysis of silica sand can be fast and with high precision by X-ray fluorescence analysis.

The largest quantities of silica sand are used in the foundry industry as moulding sand, for the production of building materials and in the chemical industry for the production of soluble alkali silicate (water glass).

Material Analysis of silica sand for the use of treatment

Another field of application for silica sands is drinking water treatment. Terrachem offers the material analysis of silica sands for use as filter gravel according to DIN EN 12904. In addition to the main component SiO2, contaminants and chemical parameters relevant to the production process and the raw materials are tested. For controlling we use the critical values of the analysis methods of DIN EN 12902.

Furthermore filter crystal is applied for water well building. In DIN 4924 XRF according to DIN 51001 is requested for the analysis of the chemical composition and the particle size distribution must be tested in compliance with DIN 18123 or DIN EN 933-1. The organic matter (DIN EN 1744-1) and the acid resistance are key points in the quality requirements as well.

  • DIN EN 12904:2005-06 – Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption – Silica sand and silica gravel
  • DIN 4924:2014-07- Sands and gravels for well construction – Requirements and testing
  • DIN 51001:2003-08 – Testing of oxidic raw materials and basic materials – General bases of work for X-ray fluorescence method (XRF)
  • DIN 18123:2011-04 – Soil, investigation and testing – Determination of grain-size distribution
  • DIN EN 933-1:2012-03 – Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates – Part 1: Determination of particle size distribution – Sieving method
  • DIN EN 1744-1:2013-03 – Tests for chemical properties of aggregates – Part 1: Chemical analysis
  • DIN EN 12902:2005-02 – Products used for treatment of water intended for human consumption – Inorganic supporting and filtering materials – Methods of test