Feldspar and quartz commonly occur together in various geological settings, serving as major constituents of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. The association between feldspar and quartz arises from their similar chemical compositions and compatibility under specific temperature and pressure conditions. Other minerals can also be present in the same spatial environment, depending on the specific geological conditions. For instance, mica frequently accompanies feldspar and quartz, contributing to a shimmering appearance of the rock. Rutile, another common accessory mineral found alongside these two primary minerals, contributes to their overall texture. Calcite is often observed as an impurity coexisting with feldspar and quartz; its presence can give the rock a milky or translucent appearance due to its high refractive index. In some cases, fluorite may be present imparting vibrant colors such as purple or green. Iron-bearing minerals like magnetite and hematite can also occur alongside feldspar and quartz adding distinct coloration ranging from black to reddish-brown hues within the rock matrix.
Brief Introduction to Feldspar and Quartz
Feldspar
Feldspar is an aluminosilicate mineral that contains calcium, sodium, and potassium. It has a hardness ranging from 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, a specific gravity ranging from 2.55 to 2.75, and a relative density between 2.55 and 2.75 kg/m³. It exhibits complete cleavage in two groups and possesses brittleness with high compressive strength as well as strong chemical stability towards acids. There are various types of feldspar such as albite, calcium feldspar, barium feldspar, barium ice feldspar, microcline, orthoclase sanidine etc., all of which display a glassy luster and come in different colors including colorless white yellow pink green gray black etc., some being transparent while others translucent due to the presence of impurities causing coloring or lack of complete transparency. Some forms occur as blocks or plates while others form columns or needles. Potassium-rich or sodium-rich feldspars find extensive applications in the ceramic industry, glass industry and enamel industry.
Quartz
Quartz is the primary mineral component of silica ore and is a type of mineral resource with exceptionally stable physical and chemical properties. It belongs to the trigonal crystal system, which classifies it as an oxide mineral. Quartz block, also known as silica, primarily serves as the raw material for producing quartz sand (also known as silica sand), which contains 46.70% silicon content. There are two crystal systems for quartz: low-temperature quartz with a three-dimensional structure and high-temperature quartz with a hexagonal structure. Generally, when referring to quartz, it implies low-temperature quartz. In the trigonal system, its crystals exhibit hexagonal columns and twinning is commonly observed. It usually occurs in crystalline clusters or block aggregates form. Quartz exhibits various colors; colorless and transparent varieties are referred to as crystal, milky white specimens are called milk quartz, purple ones are termed amethysts, light pink ones are named rose quartzes, smoky gray specimens go by smoky crystals while brown ones are referred to as tea crystals etc., all possessing a glassy luster appearance. Its hardness measures 7 on Mohs scale while its density stands at 2.65g/cm3.It remains insoluble in any acid except hydrofluoric acid.Quartz ranks among one of the most widely distributed minerals in Earth's crust; it can be found within various rocks and deposits.It finds application in manufacturing silica gel , water glass ,silicides,silicates,and acts as fillers for plastics and rubber .It also holds extensive applications across industries such as glass making,cement production,pottery making,oil refining,the casting industry ,and building materials manufacturing.
Feldspar Differs From Quartz
- Quartz is a mineral compound primarily composed of oxygen and silicon atoms, while feldspar is a mineral compound predominantly containing oxygen, aluminum, and silicon atoms.
- The principal constituent or chemical element of quartz is silicon, whereas the primary component or chemical element of feldspar is aluminum.
- The fundamental repeating unit that forms quartz is SiO4, while the repetitive unit of feldspar consists of KAlSi3O8 - NaAlSi3O8 - CaAl2Si2O8.
- Quartz exhibits greater hardness compared to feldspar; however, feldspar possesses relatively lower hardness in comparison to quartz.
- Quartz typically appears light in color, whereas due to impurities, feldspar can be found in various hues such as purple and brown.
- The crystal system shape of quartz is hexagonal; conversely, the crystal structure of feldspar can be triclinic or monoclinic.
- Owing to its piezoelectric properties, quartz finds extensive application in industries associated with gemstones and electronics; meanwhile,feldspar is utilized on a large scale within ceramics and glass industries.
Feldspar Grinding Mill Recommended
The recommended grinding equipment for albite includes Feldspar mill, Raymond mill, or ultrafine ring roller mill. Albite is a commonly occurring feldspar mineral with a Mohs hardness of 6-6.5 and typically appears as glassy crystals. It finds extensive applications in the manufacturing of ceramics, soap, tiles, floor tiles, glass, abrasives, and other products; especially in ceramics glaze where feldspar powder accounts for over 30% of the industry's usage. Moreover, it is widely utilized in various industries such as chemical manufacturing. To meet industrial specifications (usually ranging from 120-325 mesh), feldspar needs to be ground within a specific fineness range that can be achieved using Raymond mill.
The ultrafine ring roller grinding mill, incorporating innovative European grinding technology, is a superior alternative to the traditional Raymond mill and pendulum mill for grinding feldspar. It offers significant advantages in processing non-metallic minerals such as feldspar, calcite, limestone, bentonite, talc, kaolin, and barite. These advantages include high productivity, consistent fineness of ground materials, and energy-saving capabilities. Furthermore, it boasts a higher feeding capacity compared to the Raymond Mill and provides a wider range of discharge options and The fineness of the finished powder can reach 3000 mesh.
YGM Raymond Mill
Capacity: 1-50 t/h
Feed Size: 35 mm
Powder Fineness: 80-325 mesh
The standard configuration of Raymond mill consists of a main engine, reducer, powder classifier, cyclone deduster, dust collector, blower, control cabinet motor, and pipe. Optional accessories include a crusher and bucket elevator.
Mill Advantages
- In the case where the fineness of the finished product and the motor power are the same, the output is more than twice that of an air mill, a stirring mill, and a ball mill.
- Raymond Mill is a vertical structure that covers a relatively small area systematically; whether it's from raw material rough processing or transportation, powder production or final packaging, it can become an independent production system.
- The grinding roller and grinding ring are made of special materials to greatly improve their utilization degree; generally lasting for over one year when processing calcium carbonate or calcite with a service life up to 2-5 years.
- The electromagnetic vibration feeder ensures uniform feeding which is easy to adjust while saving energy and being easy to maintain.
- By using pulse dust collectors to capture dust and mufflers to reduce noise, it has environmental protection features with clean characteristics.
HGM Ultrafine Rill Roller Grinding Mill
Capacity: 0.2-45 t/h
Feed Size: ≤20 mm
Powder fineness: 325-3000 mesh
The production line of the HGM series ultra-fine grinding mill mainly comprises a main unit, classifier, powder collector, dust cleaner, blower, muffler, sound-proof room, crusher, bucket elevator, storage hopper and vibrating feeder. The HGM ultra-fine grinding mill has been designed by Clirik's R&D department based on multiple innovations and testing. It has been proven by numerous customers that our ultra-fine powder grinder possesses exceptional features such as stable quality and easy operation and maintenance. Therefore, it is regarded as the ideal equipment for fine powder milling.
Mill Advantages
- Under the same finished final size and motor power, the capacity of the superfine powder grinding mill is twice that of a jet mill, mixing grinder, and ball mill, while energy consumption decreases by 30%.
- The ring and roller are forged from special material with high utilization. Under the same grinding material and finish special size, the lifecycle of spare parts is about one year, which is 2-3 times longer than that of an impact mill or turbo mill. Furthermore, the lifetime can reach 2-5 years for grinding calcite carbonate. The lifecycle of spare parts varies depending on the material's hardness.
- As there are no rolling bearings or screws in the grinding cavity, problems caused by bolts shedding or rapid wear of bearings and seal components are eliminated.
- The final fineness of the grinding materials can be adjusted between 150-3000 mesh.
- The application of pulse bag filters and mufflers greatly alleviates dust pollution and noise.
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