Description
Zircon, also known as zircon silicate (ZrSiO4), is found in ancient mineral sand deposits. In the form of crystal sands, zircon is typically brown, but could also vary from colourless to yellow-golden, pink and red to blue and green.
Zircon is one of the two core product streams from ‘mineral sands’, the other being titanium minerals (ilmenite, leucoxene and rutile).
The majority of zircon sand is mined in Australia and the African continent. Current annual global production is in excess of one million tonnes. Almost half of the zircon produced globally is consumed by China, with other significant consuming regions including Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and India.
The main use of zircon sand is its conversion into flour, opacifier, fused zirconia, zirconium chemicals, chemical zirconia and zirconium metal. Zircon sand is directly used in foundry applications and refractories and other minor applications.
