Industrial properties and uses of silica sand from Blue Nile Basin, Central Ethiopia

Silica sand samples from Fetra area in Blue Nile Basin were collected for revealing their physicochemical properties and industrial uses. These samples were characterized by grain size analysis, optical microscopy, and X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry methods for revealing the particle size distribution, grain shape class, and major element composition of the studied silica sand deposit. Sand grains (average of 97.24%) with minor amounts of gravel (average of 1.77%) and mud (average of 0.99%) size sediments constitute Fetra silica sand deposit. The majority of these sand particles possess less spherical rounded to well-rounded morphology as revealed by the microscopic study. The obtained grain shape and grain size results indicate the high textural maturity of sediments constituting the deposit. Geochemically, the studied silica sand deposit is characterized by the abundance of SiO 2 (96.65%) with lesser quantity of Al 2 O 3 (1.35%), Fe 2 O 3 (0.85%), TiO 2 (0.13%), and minor content CaO, MgO, and K 2 O (< 0.06%). The enrichment of SiO 2 over the other oxides shows the chemical purity and quartz copiousness of the deposit. Interpretation of both physical and chemical analysis results with international quality specifications showed silica sand occurrence of Fetra area possesses the sufficient quality to be applicable in glass, foundry, filtering media, abrasive, and cement industries.