What is Quartz? Quartz is a chemical compound consisting of one part silicon and two parts oxygen. It is silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is the most abundant mineral found on Earth's surface, and its unique properties make it one of the most useful natural substances. Where is Quartz Found? Quartz is the most abundant and widely distributed mineral found on Earth's surface. It is present and plentiful in all parts of the world. It forms at all temperatures. It is abundant in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is highly resistant to both mechanical and chemical weathering. This durability makes it the dominant mineral of mountaintops and the primary constituent of beach, river, and desert sand. Quartz is ubiquitous, plentiful, and durable. Minable deposits are found throughout the world. What are the Uses for Quartz? Quartz is one of the most useful natural materials. Its usefulness can be linked to its physical and chemical properties. It has a hardness of seven on the Mohs Scale which makes it very durable. It is chemically inert in contact with most substances. It has electrical properties and heat resistance that make it valuable in electronic products. Its luster, color, and diaphaneity make it useful as a gemstone and also in the making of glass. Uses of Quartz in Glass Making Geological processes have occasionally deposited sands that are composed of almost 100% quartz grains. These deposits have been identified and produced as sources of high-purity silica sand. These sands are used in the glassmaking industry. Quartz sand is used in the production of container glass, flat plate glass, specialty glass, and fiberglass. Uses of Quartz as an Abrasive The high hardness of quartz, seven on the Mohs Scale, makes it harder than most other natural substances. As such it is an excellent abrasive material. Quartz sands and finely ground silica sand are used for sandblasting, scouring cleansers, grinding media, and grit for sanding and sawing. Uses of Quartz as a Foundry Sand Quartz is very resistant to both chemicals and heat. It is therefore often used as foundry sand. With a melting temperature higher than most metals, it can be used for the molds and cores of common foundry work. Refractory bricks are often made of quartz sand because of their high heat resistance. Quartz sand is also used as a flux in the smelting of metals.
Many Other Quartz Sand Uses Quartz sand is used as a filler in the manufacture of rubber, paint, and putty. Screened and washed, carefully sized quartz grains are used as filter media and roofing granules. Quartz sands are used for traction in the railroad and mining industries. These sands are also used in recreation on golf courses, volleyball courts, baseball fields, children's sandboxes, and beaches. Uses for Quartz Crystals One of the most amazing properties of quartz is the ability of its crystals to vibrate at a precise frequency. These frequencies are so precise that quartz crystals can be used to make extremely accurate time-keeping instruments and equipment that can transmit radio and television signals with precise and stable frequencies. A wide variety of uses have also been developed for optical-grade quartz crystals. They are used to make specialized lenses, windows, and filters used in lasers, microscopes, telescopes, electronic sensors, and scientific instruments. The material beach sand is now the material of the world’s most advanced electronic devices. A Need for Synthetic Quartz Crystals During the 1900s the demand for high-quality quartz crystals accelerated so rapidly that mining operations around the world were unable to supply them in adequate quantities. Fortunately, this need was realized during World War II, and military and private industry began working on methods to grow synthetic quartz crystals to meet the special requirements of optical and electronics use. Today, most of the quartz crystals used in electronic components and optical instruments are grown in laboratories instead of produced from mines. Most of the laboratories grow their crystals using methods based upon the geological process of hydrothermal activity. The synthetic crystals are grown at high temperatures from superheated waters that are rich in dissolved silica. These manufactured crystals can be grown in shapes, sizes, and colors that match the needs of manufacturing processes.
TRUNNANO (aka. Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd.) is a trusted global chemical material supplier & manufacturer with over 12 years’ experience in providing super high-quality chemicals and Nanomaterials. The Quartz produced by our company has high purity, fine particle size and impurity content. Please contact us if necessary.
