Quartz is an indispensable non-metallic mineral raw material in high-tech industries. It is widely used in electronics, photovoltaics, advanced ceramics, precision casting, and chemical engineering. For high-purity and ultrafine quartz powder (quartz micropowder), product performance and value are directly influenced by particle size and purity.
Australia possesses abundant high-quality quartz mineral resources. Ultrafine Quartz Powder Production requires precise grinding, efficient classification, and strict contamination control to ensure consistent quality. This project aims to process local quartz feedstock into D97: 10 μm ultrafine powder for high-end applications.
Core Requirements and Challenges
Processing High-Hardness Materials
Quartz (Mohs hardness 7) is a highly abrasive mineral. Conventional grinding equipment is prone to severe wear, which can introduce metal contaminants during processing.
Ultrafine Particle Size Target
The required final product fineness is D97: 10 μm, which demands both highly efficient grinding capability and precise classification accuracy.
High-Purity Requirement
High-end quartz powder must maintain extremely high purity levels. Metal contamination—especially from grinding equipment—is unacceptable and must be eliminated.
Large-Scale, High-Throughput Production
The customer required a stable production capacity of 6 t/h, calling for strong industrial-level performance and long-term operational stability.
Solution: Epic Powder High-Purity Ceramic-Lined Ball Mill and Classifier System
To overcome the challenges of high hardness and high purity, the project adopted Epic Powder’s full ceramic-lined ultrafine grinding system, ensuring a contamination-free grinding environment and high processing efficiency.
Equipment Configuration and Technical Advantages
| No. | Core Equipment | Key Technologies & Advantages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Epic Powder Ceramic-Lined Ball Mill | Ultimate contamination control: As the primary grinding unit, the ball mill uses a fully ceramic-lined chamber, ceramic liners, and even ceramic grinding media. The material never contacts any metal components during grinding, fully preventing the introduction of Fe, Cu, and other metallic contaminants, ensuring ultra-high purity quartz powder. |
| 2 | Epic Powder Air Classifier | Precision classification: Utilizes advanced dynamic air classification, delivering highly accurate particle separation and ensuring final product fineness consistently meets D97 = 10 μm. |
| 3 | Ceramic Classifier Wheel | Wear resistance & purity: The classifier wheel—one of the most wear-intensive and contamination-prone components—is made of high-purity ceramic. It withstands high line speeds while eliminating the risk of metal contamination from fast-rotating parts. |
Ultrafine Quartz Powder Production Results
| Key Indicator | Design Target | Actual Operating Result | Achievement Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Fineness | D97 = 10 μm | Stably controlled at D97 ≤ 10 μm | Achieved |
| Production Capacity | 6 t/h | 6–6.5 t/h stable continuous operation | Exceeded |
| Product Purity | No metal contamination | Fe content significantly below industry standards | Excellent |
| Operational Stability | Continuous running | Stable performance with low maintenance | Outstanding |