Preparation of Metallurgical Grade Silicon by using Magnesium as reducing agent from Quartz deposits of Pakistan

Abstract

The quartz stone available in different parts of Pakistan has never been studied before as precious mineral resource for acquiring Metallurgical Grade Silicon (MGS). During this research, quartz reserves of around 600 million metric ton (MMT) in different parts of Pakistan have been studied first and then in order to proceed mines of Jhangshahi, Sindh were selected where more than 150 MMT of proven quartz reserves are available. In this research samples of quartz stone from Jhangshahi, Sindh mines acquired for detail elemental analysis which proved presence of more than 95% Silicon Dioxide. This elemental analysis further strengthens the concept of MGS extraction from locally available quartz. During this research work, a comparatively less used technique of using magnesium element as reductant for MGS extraction is developed indigenously by using magnesium as reducing agent was developed. In order to validate the results of experiment, eight different experiments were performed around 950 O C. After performing eight all the eight experiments, all extracted products were characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscope - Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) techniques. This technique validated the presence of around 95% of MGS in all the extracted products.