Quartz sand: purification is a sequence, not a single step
Washing, classification and desliming, scrubbing, magnetic separation, flotation and acid leaching, applied in sequence until the iron and mineral inclusions are gone.
Process route
Every stage removes a different contaminant, so the sequence rarely shortens. Xinhai reports purification to 99.999%, or 5N, in its dust-free laboratory.
Washing and screening
Trommel washing and screening removes clay and oversize from the raw feed.
Classification and desliming
Hydrocyclones remove the fines that would otherwise consume reagents downstream.
Scrubbing
Attrition scrubbing strips iron staining and surface films from the quartz grains.
Magnetic separation
High intensity separation removes iron bearing minerals.
Flotation and acid leaching
Flotation removes feldspar and mica, and acid leaching dissolves the remaining iron to reach high purity grades.
Equipment in this circuit
Manufactured at our own bases and matched to the circuit capacity, not bought package by package.
Trommel screen
Washing and scrubbing of clay bearing and alluvial feed.
Vibrating screen
Circular, linear, dewatering and banana screens for sizing and dewatering.
Hydrocyclone
XC, XHCV and XN series for classification, desliming and thickening duty.
Magnetic separator
Wet and dry drum, high intensity and high gradient separators.
Flotation cells
SF, JJF, XCF, KYF and BF machines up to 320 m3, plus flotation columns.
Filter press
Plate and frame and membrane presses for concentrate and tailings dewatering.
Reference projects
Figures are those reported for these projects in the Xinhai project and test brochures.
1,200 t/d quartz sand processing plant
Plant scope2,000 t/d quartz sand processing plant
Plant scope0.9 Mt/a quartz sand processing plant
Plant scopeCommon questions
How pure can the product be?
Is acid leaching always needed?
What limits quartz purity in practice?
Send the assay and the tonnage target for your Quartz sand project.