Zircon

Zircon's exceptional qualities of hardness and durability makes it a must-use for the manufacture of ceramics and refractory tiles and also for a range of other high-tech applications such as armour plating on military aircraft, heat shield in space shuttles and potentially as solid oxide fuel cells in hydrogen powered vehicles and in many industrial and chemical applications. Owing to its chemical inertness, very low heat conductivity, high specific gravity, low expansion, good resistance to abrasion, high melting point and no shrinkage on being heated up to 17500C, zircon is found to be an outstanding refractory material. In foundry industry, zircon is used as facing for foundry moulds as it increases the resistance to metal penetration and affords a uniform finish to castings. Zircon sand is preferred to silica sand because of its uniform size, higher melting point, low thermal expansion and resistance to molten metal, acidic chemicals, slag, etc.