How to identify the quality of rock garnet sand
Methods for identifying the quality of rock garnet sand
1. Observe the color and gloss
Color saturation
High-quality rock garnet sand is mostly dark red, dark red or “brown sugar color”. Sand with high iron and aluminum content is darker and more lustrous, showing natural light in the sun; if the color is too bright (such as bright pink) or dull grayish white, it may contain impurities or poor quality.
Note: Natural rock garnet sand may have a small amount of variegated colors (such as purple-red), but large areas of green, black or grayish white particles should be vigilant.
Gloss comparison
High-quality rock garnet sand has a smooth surface and obvious mineral crystal reflection; low-quality sand may have low gloss due to weathering or impurities.
2. Test hardness and wear resistance
Hand rubbing test
Take a small amount of rock garnet sand and rub it in the palm of your hand. High-quality rock garnet sand has high hardness (Mohs 7.5-8.0), is not easy to break and has less powder; if it is easy to break or produces a lot of dust, it may be mixed with low-hardness minerals (such as quartz). Professional testing
Require manufacturers to provide hardness test reports to ensure compliance with industrial standards.
3. Impurity and purity testing
Water washing test
Mix sand and water in a ratio of 1:4, and observe after standing:
Clear water: Few impurities in sand particles, and perfect water washing process.
Turbid yellow/gray: High mud content or insufficient water washing.
Floating object inspection
After shaking the mixture, foreign objects floating on the water surface (such as wood chips, broken plastic) indicate that impurities exceed the standard.
4. Particle size and particle morphology
Uniformity observation
High-quality rock garnet sand particles are of uniform size, with a reasonable mesh distribution (such as 60-80 mesh), and no obviously oversized particles (easy to clog the nozzle) or overly fine dust (reducing cutting efficiency).
Particle morphology
Naturally broken sand particles are angular cubes with sharp edges; rounded particles may be weathered ores or mixed with other materials.
5. Verify the source and manufacturer qualifications
Mineral source and process
Give priority to deep rock ore sand, and avoid surface weathered ore or beach ore (low hardness, poor cutting force).
Manufacturer qualifications
Check the manufacturer’s test certificate (such as environmental certification, particle size report) and brand reputation, and give priority to large-scale manufacturers.
6. Actual use effect verification
If conditions permit, small sample tests can be carried out:
Cutting/sandblasting effect: The cutting surface of high-quality sand is flat and scratch-free, and the roughness of the metal surface after sandblasting is uniform.
Number of cycles: High-hardness sand can be reused more than 20 times, and low-quality sand is fragile, resulting in reduced efficiency.
Tips for avoiding pits
Beware of low-price traps: High-quality rock garnet sand has high processing costs, and the price is too low and may be adulterated.
Avoid single indicator judgment: It is necessary to comprehensively evaluate multiple indicators such as color, hardness, and impurities.
