There are significant differences between dry and wet production of quartz
sand in terms of process flow, equipment selection, energy and water
consumption, finished product quality, and environmental protection
requirements.
Dry production is the process of using mechanical crushing, dry vibration
screening, dry magnetic separation, and drying to complete the classification
and iron removal of quartz sand. Its advantages are that it does not require a
large amount of water resources, saves water, and has simple tailings treatment.
However, the fine powder content in the finished product is relatively high,
which easily generates dust. It requires the configuration of efficient dust
removal devices, and the particle size control and impurity removal depend on
the accuracy of vibrating screens and magnetic separation.
Wet production involves washing the raw ore with water or stirring it in a
scrubbing machine, followed by screening, desliming, and grading. Subsequently,
the quartz sand product is obtained through wet magnetic separation, thickening,
dehydration, drying, and other steps. Wet methods can more thoroughly remove
clay, organic matter, and fine impurities from the surface of particles,
resulting in higher purity and whiteness of the finished product, and a more
uniform particle size distribution. However, it requires a large amount of water
and requires the construction of a comprehensive system for circulating water
treatment and tail water reuse. At the same time, equipment such as thickeners,
filter presses, or centrifugal dewatering machines need to be used to treat mud,
resulting in relatively high energy consumption and equipment investment.
In terms of environmental protection and cost, the pressure of dry production
on environmental protection is mainly reflected in dust control, while wet
production focuses more on water treatment and solid waste (mud cake) treatment.
Dry methods are suitable for areas with water scarcity or environmental
protection requirements, mainly targeting atmospheric dust. Wet methods are
suitable for high-end markets with high purity and whiteness requirements for
quartz sand, such as photovoltaics, electronics, fine glass, and other
fields.
Overall, dry production has the advantages of low investment, simple process,
and low water consumption, but it is limited in controlling the fineness and
improving the purity of the finished product; Although wet production has higher
investment and operating costs, it can obtain quartz sand with higher purity,
more uniform particle size, and lower mud content, which is suitable for high
standard applications. Enterprises should choose suitable production methods
based on local water resources, environmental conditions, product positioning,
and market demand.