Ironsand
Iron sand, known in English-speaking "iron sand" represents the German, occasionally used slang term for a heavy mineral sand, has high levels of iron minerals.
Description
The color of the sand is dark gray or blackish, heats up when exposed to sunlight especially on and can lead to combustion in contact with him under certain circumstances. The sand contains the mineral magnetite Fe3O4, where the pure levels of iron can range depending on location and quality between 54 % and 60 %. In addition, also other mineral compounds may be present, such as Titanium ( IV) oxide TiO2, vanadium (III) -oxide V2O3, magnesium oxide and others.
Thus, as an example, iron sands of Taharoa, New Zealand in their concentrated form an iron content of Fe 56.8 % while share of 7.7 % and 0.45 % V2O3 TIO2 or iron sand, which is traded over a company in Auckland and its origin is not explained in detail, has the following chemical composition:
- Grain size = 75-150 microns
- Iron (III ) oxide, Fe2O3 - 79.5%
- Alumina, Al2O3 - 3.9%
- Magnesia, - 3.3%
- Silica - 3.1%
- Calcium oxide, - 1.1%
And more.
Although ilmenite or chromite FeTiO3 FeCr2O4 also contains iron and is found in the form of sand in coastal areas, these minerals are referred to in their deposition form as a heavy mineral sands or shortly mineral sands.
Formation
Since the Earth's core consists mainly of iron, and iron-containing material were transported to the surface by volcanic activity. At various points of the earth areas are so many million years ago created with ironstone, eroded over long periods and smallest rock material has been carried away by the rivers towards oceans or seas. The small but heavy stones or grains were deposited at the mouth of the rivers, were distributed by wind, waves and tides on the coasts and concentrated deposited on account of their greater specific gravity than the normal sand. Thus arose sea beds, beaches and some dunes that now have large amounts of iron sands exploitation enabled.
Word of the origin and use
Originally, the term " iron sand " was used in German-speaking countries in the geological terminology, such as, inter alia, Records and reports of Ferdinand of Hochstetters participation in the Novara expedition prove. Exactly when and by whom the term was first used is not known. However, it is likely that iron sand was used as a term for iron -bearing sands at the latest in the 18th century. In his 1868 published work " A System of Mineralogy - Descriptive Mineralogy ", used James Dwight Dana, the term " iron sand " in connection with Menaccanit, referring to literature from 1791, each of William McGregor and Lorenz Florenz Friedrich von Crell. In today's literature, the term is, however, impossible to find.
"Iron Sand", or even "iron sand" written is not very commonly used in the English geological literature, however, is to be found in its various spellings sometimes. But above all, in the traditional industrial literature one finds the term commonly again. Also, terms such as " titanomagnetite iron sand" and " mineral sand", or in German-speaking " magnetic iron sand " can be detected.
Iron sand is used, inter alia, as raw material for the production of Tamahagane, a type of steel that has been traditionally used in Japan for forging, used by, for example sword blades.
Occurrence
Iron sand is almost everywhere in the world. But economically significant and mineable quantities is found only in Chile, Guatemala, Indonesia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand, while in the latter three countries believed to be the world 's largest deposits are found at iron sand.