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Mineralogical Characterization
1. Chemical Characterization
Exceptional Chemical Purity
Test Conducted By: CSIR-CGCRI & Dalmia Institute of Scientific & Industrial Research
Key Results:
- SiO₂ : 98.36%
- Fe₂O₃ : 0.09%
- Alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O) :< 0.4%
Test Report
Testing Methodology: The chemical analysis conducted by CSIR-CGCRI utilized Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). This highly advanced testing methodology provides extremely accurate and indisputable results down to the trace element level, giving you absolute confidence in our material’s exceptional purity.
The Significance for Silica Ramming Mass: The chemical purity of quartzite dictates the base refractoriness and high-temperature performance of the ramming mass. A high silica (SiO₂) content ensures the lining can withstand high melting temperatures without softening. More importantly, low iron oxide ( Fe₂O₃) and alkali levels are critical as these impurities act as fluxes at high temperatures, drastically lowering the melting point of the lining and causing premature slagging or washouts.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: 95% – 96% SiO₂, with iron content often hovering around 0.5% to 1.0%.
- Our Advantage: With a high 98.36% SiO₂ and virtually non-existent iron content (0.09%), our quartzite offers an extremely pure refractory base. This implies fewer localized melt zones, exceptionally high thermal stability, and a significantly cleaner melt, making it ideal for high-alloy steel and iron foundries.
Pyrometric Cone Equivalent (PCE)
Test Conducted By: CSIR-CGCRI
Key Results: PCE Value of 31-32 Orton Cone
Test Report
The Significance for Silica Ramming Mass: The Pyrometric Cone Equivalent (PCE) is the benchmark for refractoriness—the material’s ability to resist deformation under extreme heat. In induction furnaces, the ramming mass must endure relentless extreme thermal stress without melting or structurally collapsing.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: PCE 29 – 30 (Equivalent to ~1650°C), which is often pushed to its absolute limits in modern steel melting.
- Our Advantage: A PCE of 31-32 Orton Cone signifies a temperature withstanding capability of up to 1710°C. This provides a massive margin of safety for induction furnaces operating at standard tap temperatures of 1600°C-1650°C. Your furnace linings will resist sintering and fusion far longer, resulting in an extended number of heats per patch
2. Petrographic Study
Test Report
Test Conducted By: Geological Survey of India (GSI)
Key Results: Massive, hard, and compact granoblastic texture with recrystallized interlocking quartz grains. Presence of strained quartz with undulose extinction.
The Significance for Silica Ramming Mass: When normal quartz is heated, it transforms rapidly into cristobalite, causing sudden volume expansion that cracks the furnace lining. Whereas strained quartz with an interlocking granoblastic texture, formed under intense geological pressure (metamorphism), undergoes a delayed phase transformation.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: Sedimentary quartz or vein quartz, which fractures easily and expands rapidly, causing lining spalling and reduced lifespan.
- Our Advantage: Our strained quartz with interlocking grains means our material accommodates thermal expansion through harmless micro-cracking at the granular level. This delayed transformation creates a highly stable lining that absorbs the expansion stresses of the furnace. This results in zero cracking and highly predictable, extended lining life.
Physico-Mechanical Properties
1. Resistance to ageing by Thermal Shock
Test Report
Test Conducted By: Centre for Development of Stones (CDOS)
Key Results:
- Flexural Strength (Pre-Shock): 19.97 MPa
- Flexural Strength (Post 20 Thermal Shock Cycles): 25.98 MPa (+38.20% Increase)
- Visual Inspection: Zero cracking, scaling, or exfoliation.
The Significance for Silica Ramming Mass:
Induction furnaces undergo rapid temperature fluctuations during charging, tapping, and intermittent operations. These sudden shifts cause thermal shock, which typically leads to deep structural cracking, spalling, and sudden lining failure. A premium ramming mass must not only survive these thermal shocks but also maintain its structural integrity.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: Most standard quartzites lose 10% to 20% of their structural strength after repeated thermal cycling due to internal fracturing and rapid cristobalite expansion, eventually leading to visible surface cracking and reduced lining life.
- Our Advantage: Our material’s flexural strength actually increased by 38.2% even after enduring 20 severe thermal shock cycles, with absolutely no visual signs of cracking, scaling, or exfoliation. This indicates that our quartzite undergoes highly beneficial microstructural stress relief and interlocking when exposed to repeated high heat. In real-world foundry conditions, this translates to a lining that actively fortifies itself under thermal stress.
2. Mechanical Strength and Abrasion
Test Report
Test Conducted By: Centre for Development of Stones (CDOS)
Key Results:
- Compressive Strength: 172 MPa
- Wide Wheel Abrasion Resistance: 14.85 mm
- Rupture Energy: 4 Joules
The Significance For Silica Ramming Mass: A high-quality ramming mass relies on strict particle size distribution (the exact ratio of coarse, medium, and fine grains) to achieve maximum packing density. If the raw material is weak, the coarse grains will crush into powder during pneumatic ramming. Furthermore, the lining must resist the severe mechanical abrasion caused by the electromagnetic stirring of molten metal.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: Compressive strength of 80-120 MPa.
- Our Advantage: At a staggering 172 MPa, our quartzite is exceptionally hard and tough. It survives heavy pneumatic ramming without shattering, ensuring your lining achieves the exact engineered density you paid for. The excellent abrasion resistance ensures the lining will not prematurely wash away under the stirring action of molten steel.
3. Apparent Porosity and Water Absorption
Test Report
Test Conducted By: Dalmia Institute & CDOS
Key Results:
- Apparent Porosity: 0.6% – 0.7%
- Water Absorption: 0.08%
The Significance For Silica Ramming Mass: Porosity is the enemy of refractory linings. High porosity allows corrosive slags, molten metal, and harmful gases to penetrate deep into the refractory grains, causing chemical degradation, rapid wear, and dangerous breakouts.
Industrial Benchmark vs. Our Material:
- Typical Market Standard: Apparent porosity of 1.5% to 3.0%, and water absorption around 0.5% to 1.0%.
- Our Advantage: With an incredibly low apparent porosity of 0.6% and near-zero water absorption of 0.08%, our quartzite grains act as impenetrable armor. Because the grains themselves are practically non-porous, corrosive slags remain strictly on the hot face of the lining, unable to penetrate and destroy the refractory matrix. This guarantees a cleaner melt, less inclusion defects in your castings, and a comparatively longer furnace life.
