Zircon sand is a valuable mineral renowned for its exceptional properties. It is characterized by its high refractoriness, chemical stability, and heat resistance. Primarily used in foundries, zircon sand serves as a mold and core material, ensuring precise castings with excellent surface finishes. In the ceramics industry, it finds application in refractory materials, glazes, and opacifiers, thanks to its ability to withstand high temperatures and resist chemical corrosion. Additionally, zircon sand is utilized in the production of high-quality ceramics like electrical ceramics and abrasives, providing strength, durability, and thermal shock resistance.
Ilmenite is one of the most significant ores of the metal titanium. It is mined as an important industrial mineral in several deposits throughout the world. Ilmenite contains between 45 and 60% titanium dioxide and can be used directly in pigment production by the sulfate or chloride route. Many of those deposits are in heavy placer sands. Ilmenite is very similar in structure to Hematite, and is essentially the same as Hematite with roughly half the iron replaced with titanium.
Ilmenite is a titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula
Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is the chief ore widely used in:
– manufacture of Titanium di-oxide which is used as pigment in paint, paper, plastics, rubber and pharma industry;
– welding electrodes:
– processing of graded steel;
– manufacturing of titanium metal;
– coatings and lining for blast furnace hearths;
– titanium sponge.
he mineral is obtained from sands and usually contains about 95-97% titanium dioxide with impurities such as iron oxide, chromium oxide and silica. In the high lead rutile glazes it usually constitutes about 10 -15% of the glaze recipe. In lead glazes rutile tends to matt the surface, even in small amounts, but in leadless glazes much less so.
Used in a range of high-tech applications, including:
– non-stick and decorative coating;
– PTFE coatings.
Monazite is a reddish-brown phosphate mineral containing 35-71% rare-earth oxides. It is one of the main rare earth ores.
Most common is monazite-(Ce), (Ce,La,Nd,Th)PO4, but there are also monazite-(La), (La,Ce,Nd)PO4, monazite-(Nd), (Nd,La,Ce)PO4, and monazite-(Sm), (Sm,Gd,Ce,Th)PO4.
