Industrial Minerals
What it is
Silica sand is washed, dried and screened quartz sand. The grade is defined by three things: how pure the silica is, how little iron it carries, and how tightly the grain size is controlled. Glass cares about the first two, foundry and filtration about the third.
Why buyers specify it
- Low-iron grades suitable for flint container glass and solar applications.
- Screened to narrow fractions rather than sold as one general sand.
- Consistent grain shape, which is what keeps foundry permeability stable.
- Supplied in bags, jumbo bags or bulk depending on how the plant takes it.
Grades we supply
Grade names are ours; the fineness and the duty are what you match against your current material.
| Grade | Grain size | SiO₂ | Usually bought for |
|---|---|---|---|
| XQ-Glass | 0.1 – 0.6 mm | ≥ 99.3 % | Container and flat glass |
| XQ-Foundry | AFS 45 – 60 | ≥ 98.5 % | Green sand and resin-bonded moulding |
| XQ-Filter | 0.4 – 1.2 mm | ≥ 98 % | Water filtration media |
| XQ-Blast | 0.5 – 2.0 mm | ≥ 98 % | Surface preparation, where permitted |
Other finenesses and surface treatments are available against a firm enquiry. If you are switching from another supplier, send their data sheet and we will match the curve rather than the mesh number.
Typical analysis
Chemistry
| Component | Typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 98.0 – 99.6 % | Glass grades at the top |
| Fe2O3 | 0.02 – 0.15 % | The figure glass buyers specify |
| Al2O3 | 0.2 – 1.2 % | — |
| TiO2 | 0.02 – 0.10 % | — |
| Loss on ignition | 0.1 – 0.5 % | — |
Physical properties
| Property | Typical range | Method basis |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk density | 1.45 – 1.65 g/cm³ | Loose |
| Moisture as packed | ≤ 0.5 % | Dried grades |
| Grain shape | Sub-angular to rounded | Visual / image analysis |
| Mohs hardness | 7 | — |
These are typical ranges for silica sand, not a specification. The values that govern your order are the ones measured on your lot and printed on its mill test certificate. Ask for a sample and the certificate that goes with it before you commit a production trial.
Where it is used
Silica Sand is not one product sold 4 ways — it is 4 different conversations about the same mineral. We supply it into glass, foundry & refractories, ceramics & sanitaryware and detergents & soaps, and in each of those the grade that works is chosen for a different reason: fineness in one, brightness in another, oil absorption or purity in the next.
Each industry below has its own page on this site, written for the people who formulate in it rather than for a general reader. If you work in one of them, start there — it will tell you which silica sand grade we would quote for your application and what we need to know before quoting it.
- Glass — The main batch constituent; iron content decides the glass colour.
- Foundry & Refractories — Moulding and core sand.
- Ceramics & Sanitaryware — Filler in bodies; controls thermal expansion.
- Detergents & Soaps — Abrasive in scouring products.
Respirable crystalline silica. Silica sand is regulated as an occupational health hazard in the United States, with a permissible exposure limit set by OSHA and a written exposure control plan required in many operations. Material arrives with a safety data sheet and the labelling that goes with it. Abrasive blasting with silica sand is restricted or prohibited in several jurisdictions — check your state rules before specifying it for that use.
Packing
| Pack | Detail | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 25 kg paper or PP bag | Palletised 40 bags per pallet, stretch-wrapped | Powders |
| 50 lb bag | US-standard weight where the plant prefers it | Powders |
| 1,000 kg / 1 MT jumbo bag | Four-loop FIBC with discharge spout | Powders, sand, granules |
| Bulk | Pneumatic tanker or loose in container, where volume justifies it | Sand, granules, lump |
Private-label bags with your own artwork are available from one container. How private label works.
Documents with every shipment
- Mill test certificate for the lot, with the measured values, not the range
- Certificate of analysis signed by the processing plant
- Safety data sheet in the US 16-section GHS format
- Certificate of origin and the commercial invoice and packing list
- Asbestos test report where the mineral and the application call for one
Related minerals
Need a price on silica sand?
Send the grade, the tonnage and the delivery ZIP code. Quote and free sample back within one business day.