Introduction
For a long time, natural stones such as marble and granite have been used to enhance the aesthetics of both residential and commercial buildings. However, these stones come with several disadvantages, making factory-made quartz stone a superior alternative. Some major drawbacks of natural stones include:
- Susceptibility to stains
- Natural features that appear as cracks
- Less smooth surfaces
- Insufficient elasticity
- Lack of seamlessness, making length precision difficult
While natural stones have been favored for their durability, strength, and other strong characteristics, quartz stone provides a better alternative as it is stronger and lacks the unwanted qualities of natural stones. Over the last decade, the sales and consumption of quartz countertops in India and globally have surged significantly due to the drop in quartz stone prices, driven by the increased efficiency of the quartz stone manufacturing process.
We will first provide a brief introduction to the quartz mineral and quartz stone before delving into the manufacturing process.
Quartz Mineral Overview
Quartz is a mineral formed into crystals under extreme pressure. As a chemical compound, it consists of one part silicon and two parts oxygen, making it the most abundant mineral found on Earth’s surface. Due to its unique properties, quartz is among the most useful minerals. It comes in varying colors, transparencies, and varieties, such as amethyst, rose quartz, onyx, and tiger’s eye. It is abundant in sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks and is highly resistant to chemical and mechanical weathering.
Quartz’s color, diaphaneity, and luster make it ideal for use as a gemstone and in glass making. Its heat resistance and electrical properties make it useful in electronic products.
Engineered Quartz Stone
Unlike granite, quartz does not form stone blocks and naturally exists in clusters. Though some people are interested in using quartz in their kitchen designs, its natural state is unsuitable for countertops and other large slab applications. To make quartz suitable for such applications, it can be converted into engineered stone. Engineered quartz, also known as re-composed or reconstituted stone, involves a manufacturing process that mixes quartz aggregate chips, pigments, additives, and resin binders.
Engineered quartz stone for slab and countertop applications comes in various colors, textures, and patterns. Depending on the manufacturing process, the texture can be coarse or fine. It is possible to combine quartz with glass and other reflective materials to achieve a sparkling finish. Combining quartz’s non-porous nature with granite’s durability results in high-end and robust applications.
Quartz Stone Manufacturing Process
We will explore the quartz stone manufacturing process, starting with the raw quartz manufacturing process to understand how raw quartz is produced before being supplied to the quartz stone manufacturing industries.
Raw Quartz Manufacturing
Due to its usefulness and essential properties, quartz is among the top B2B products extracted and processed for local supply and export. The manufacturing process involves extraction and actual manufacturing processing.
- Extraction of Quartz
- Quartz is extracted through open-pit mining, with rare instances of using explosives to expose deep seams of the mineral. Despite its hardness, quartz can be damaged by sudden temperature changes. Mining operations commonly use backhoes and bulldozers to remove clay and soil surrounding the mineral. Crystal veins of quartz are exposed in the rock, and a team uses picks, chisels, and other small hand tools to extract the quartz directly from the quarry.
- Processing of Quartz
- After extraction, quartz undergoes an extensive cleaning process to remove chemical impurities and physical flaws. Once cleaned, it is screened and crushed into different sizes based on its future use. The quartz is then processed using crushers, vibrating screens, ball mills, and grinders to produce varying sizes and fine powder.
- Supplying of Quartz
- Processed quartz is supplied using large shipping containers for sea transport or large trucks and trains for land transport. For semi-precious quartz gemstones, extra precautions are taken to prevent damage. At Unique Crystal Minerals, a leading quartz manufacturer in India, we supply quartz sand, quartz granules, and other B2B quartz products to different wholesale distributors and industries across India and globally.
Quartz Stone Manufacturing
- Raw Material
- The manufacturing process of engineered quartz stone starts with the selection of manufactured quartz materials, such as quartz sand or quartz granules.
- Blending
- The selected raw quartz is crushed and blended in a ratio of 93% quartz aggregates to 7% resin binder along with other additives.
- Slab Pressing
- The mixture is compacted into slabs using a vacuum and vibration method for about 100 seconds at 100 tons of pressure, minimizing porosity and decreasing water absorption.
- Heating
- The slabs undergo a curing process in a kiln at 85 degrees Celsius for about half an hour to attain necessary properties for stain and impact resistance. Steam or oven can be used to accelerate curing. After curing, the slabs are gauged, calibrated, polished, and prepared for packing.
- Cooling
- The slabs are held upright with a clamp and cooled for 24-36 hours.
- Trimming
- The edges are trimmed and leveled.
- Quality Verification
- The engineered quartz manufacturing process ensures consistency and uniformity in shade and dimension, saving time during construction. Engineered quartz offers a more consistent color, pattern, texture, and uniform appearance than natural stone. It can be fabricated in large sizes, resulting in better aesthetics and fewer joints.
Conclusion
The quartz mineral market is expanding, and the mining and manufacturing processes are also progressing. Quartz’s flexibility allows it to be used in various applications, from interior design to jewelry to larger industrial uses. The thorough and careful manufacturing process ensures high-end use and distinct benefits.
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