Beneficiation of Rajpardi Silica Sand for Use in the Ceramics and Glass Industry

摘要

Three different types of coloured sand, i.e. white, yellow and reddish-yellow sand, containing colour-imparting impurities such as Fe_2O_3 and TiO_2 of 0.63, 0.86, 1.55 and 0.40, 0.62, 0.48 mass-% respectively are available as overburden in a lignite mine located in the Rajpardi village of Jagadia Taluka in the Bharuch District of Gujarat State (India). Different beneficiation methods were utilised for upgrading these Rajpardi sands. Simple wet sieving and water washing reduced the Fe_2O_3 content in all the varieties of sand remarkably. Wet-sieved and water-washed samples of white and reddish-yellow sand were subjected to magnetic separation to achieve grade-3 quality glass. The reddish-yellow sand, after magnetic separation, showed traces of Fe_2O_3 and TiO_2. The different types of sand, after employment of appropriate beneficiation techniques, were rendered suitable for utilisation in the ceramic and glass industries.