glass sand

Sand is composed of mineral, rock, or soil particles with diameters ranging from 0.02 to 2 mm. While various minerals can be found in sand, quartz is the most common due to its abundance, hardness, and insolubility.1

In the glassmaking industry, clean sand is a primary source of silica. Commercial glass is typically made from a molten mixture of sand, limestone, and sodium carbonate, which is then rapidly cooled to prevent crystallization. Historically, arsenic oxide and sodium nitrate were added to aid in bubble removal, but safer alternatives are now recommended. Sands with high silica content are also used in lining furnaces for steel production and in creating molds for metal casting.231