EXPOSITION ON SILICA SAND RESERVES IN NIGERIA AND ITS IMPACT ON METALLURGICAL INDUSTRIES

Abstract

Silica (SiO2) as sand is one of the mineral raw materials that occur extensively in nature. It is a mineral that is associated with free flowing forms as dust and sand and is known in consolidated forms as crystals, quartz, pebbles and stones.  Silica Sand is also found in large deposits in Nigeria as components of rock forming minerals. These Silica Sand deposits have appropriate grain size distributions and high degree of purity. The sand deposits are used for various 
applications such as abrasives, glass making, chemical production, building construction, paints and coatings, water filtration, ceramics and refractories, oil and gas recovery, recreational activities and other purposes. Silica Sand impacts every aspect of our daily living. Although, Silica Sand is a non-toxic material with no known toxic effect on ingestion, it poses considerable health hazards with respect to long-term inhalation as dust. This paper therefore aims at exploring the chemistry of Silica Sand resources for commercial use in metallurgical industries, paint/coating formulations for improved aesthetics on metallic substrates and its relevance to national development.