New Method for the Analysis of Iron Oxide in Silica Sand

Applied Rigaku Technologies, Inc have announced a new empirical method for the analysis of iron oxide in silica sand. Application Note #1177 demonstrates the effectiveness and utility of the Rigaku NEX QC energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analyser in the monitoring of iron content of silica sand.

Silica sands are essential raw materials for glassmaking. Among the major industrial applications of silica sand is the production of glass bottles. As the iron content is one of the major factors that affect the colour of the glass, the monitoring of iron content is critical to ensure the quality and consistency of the glass products. Analysis both at the quarry site and in the manufacturing process is essential.

The Rigaku NEX QC is designed to be an ideal tool for reliably measuring the iron content in sand, and can be used at the quarry as well as along the production line to help ensure the highest quality while minimising wastes and cost overruns.

For this application, the samples were ground to <200 mesh (<75um particle size). 3g of powder was then placed into a standard 32mm XRF sample cup for analysis. Seven assayed standards were used for calibration. The Rigaku NEX QC analyser is shown to deliver excellent performance for the measurement of iron oxide in silica sand, providing an efficient and reliable means of analysis during the QA/QC process in the production of glass bottles, as well as for screening at the quarry.