Application
Magnetic Separators for Quartz Sand & Quartz Stone
PTMS dry electromagnetic, wet slurry and permanent belt magnetic separators remove iron from crushed quartz stone, quartz sand and silica sand, lowering Fe₂O₃ for glass, PV glass, ceramic and foundry buyers.
The problem
- Glass and especially solar (PV) glass need a very low iron oxide content, because iron absorbs light. Sand acceptable for construction may fail PV specifications.
- Iron in quartz occurs as liberated magnetic grains, as weakly magnetic mineral inclusions and as staining on grain surfaces. Screening removes only the first.
- Crushing adds mechanical iron. If it is not removed, it oxidizes within days and stains the sand red and yellow.
How PTMS solves it
High-gradient electromagnetic separators capture the weakly magnetic fraction that low-intensity magnets leave behind, and the field can be adjusted as the feed changes. For granular sand (0.1–10 mm) belt-type rare-earth roller separators are used; for fine powder, dry electromagnetic powder separators; for wet lines, slurry separators. In acid-leaching (pickling) lines, magnetic separation comes before acid leaching to remove mechanical iron.
Recommended PTMS models
Dry Separator for Quartz Powder (Double Discharge)Dry Powder Magnetic Separators
7A300 Quartz Sand Electromagnetic Separator for Dry PowderKaolin, Feldspar & Quartz Separators
Quartz Sand Pickling Magnetic SeparationKaolin, Feldspar & Quartz Separators
Electromagnetic Dry Powder Magnetic Separator SeriesElectromagnetic Separators
Electromagnetic Dry Powder MachineElectromagnetic Separators
Oil-Cooled Electromagnetic Separator SeriesElectromagnetic Separators
Belt Conveyor Type Magnetic SeparatorConveyor Belt Magnetic Separators
Fully Automatic 3-Layer Belt Magnetic SeparatorConveyor Belt Magnetic Separators
Permanent Magnetic Belt Magnetic SeparatorPermanent Magnetic Separators
Electromagnetic Dry Powder Magnetic Separator 3A160Dry Powder Magnetic Separators
Water-Cooled Electromagnetic Separator SeriesWet / Slurry Magnetic Separators
Electromagnetic Slurry Magnetic Separator Type 1000Wet / Slurry Magnetic Separators
Permanent Magnetic Roller SeriesPermanent Magnetic Separators
Vertical Ring High Gradient Magnetic SeparatorHigh Gradient Magnetic SeparatorsTypical process
- Crushing Raw quartz stone → feeder → jaw crusher → vibrating screen.
- Coarse magnetic separation Magnetic roller removes tramp and coarse iron.
- Grinding & classification Hopper → feeder → ball mill → spiral classifier → high-frequency screen.
- Fine magnetic separation Magnetic separator removes fine and weakly magnetic iron.
- Dewatering Dehydrator, then finished product.
- Optional pickling For high-purity sand: washing → magnetic separation → acid leaching → water washing → dehydration → drying.
Quartz sand production line and pickling sequence as published by PTMS.
Reference projects
- Quartz beneficiation and purification lines: Water-cooled electromagnetic separators supplied for quartz processing lines.
- Electromagnetic separator for mineral powder, exported to Germany: Special design with a chiller to cool the oil and remove the heat generated during operation.
More project photos on our projects page.
Third-party lab: Indian quartz Fe₂O₃ (two samples)
Two sequential third-party assays on Indian quartz (粒状 / granular), GB/T 4734-2022. Sample names on the lab reports are both “印度石英” (Indian quartz) with no explicit before/after or raw-ore / after-iron labels, so they are presented here as Sample A and Sample B by report number—not as a forced iron-removal pair.
| Item | Sample A (H20260428115) | Sample B (H20260428116) |
|---|---|---|
| Fe₂O₃ | 0.0088% | 0.0078% |
- Material: Indian quartz (granular)
- Laboratory: Foshan Youbo Ceramic Analysis & Testing Co., Ltd. (independent third party)
- Report nos.: H20260428115 and H20260428116
- Sample received 28 April 2026, reported 30 April 2026
- Test method: GB/T 4734-2022
These two results are published as measured Fe₂O₃ on Indian quartz. They are not claimed as a before/after iron-removal pair unless confirmed. For a measured before/after on your sand, send a 5–10 kg sample.
Quartz Sand & Quartz Stone: buyer questions
Can your separators reach the Fe₂O₃ level required for PV glass sand?
It depends on how the iron occurs in your sand. High-gradient magnetic separation is the step that moves suitable sand toward solar grade, but surface staining may also need washing or acid leaching. Send a sample and we return a measured result.
Which separator for quartz sand granules versus quartz powder?
Granular material from 0.1 × 0.1 mm to 10 × 10 mm (around 10–60 mesh): belt-type magnetic separators with rare-earth rollers (one, two or three layers). Fine powder: dry electromagnetic powder separators such as the double-discharge quartz powder separator or the 7A300. Slurry: wet electromagnetic slurry separators.
What does “double discharge” mean on the quartz powder separator?
The powder is cleaned two times in one machine, so more iron is removed. The machine uses a water-cooling structure with copper pipe coils and runs fully automatically.
Should magnetic separation come before or after acid leaching?
Before. The published pickling sequence is crushing → washing → magnetic separation → acid leaching → water washing → dehydration → drying. This removes the mechanical iron from crushing before it oxidizes and stains the sand.
What field strength do dry quartz powder separators reach?
The published working-cavity field of the electromagnetic dry powder machine is 18,000–30,000 GS. The dry powder 3K160–20K600 series is published at 2–3.5 T.
Can several dry powder separators work together on one quartz line?
Yes. The electromagnetic dry powder machine can run alone, in series for deeper iron removal, or in parallel for more capacity. We size the layout after a free sample test.
Which separator suits quartz for glass making?
A dry electromagnetic powder separator such as the 7A300, which removes weakly magnetic oxides and flake-like surface contaminants.
Send us your material. We test it free.
Tell us your material, particle size, capacity and target iron level. We usually reply with a matched model and price within 24 hours.