锆石——地球上最古老的矿物，有很多用途

你可能听说过锆石是一种明亮的宝石，但锆石是什么？它是一种硅酸锆矿物，少量存在于各种岩石中。虽然某种质量的锆石矿物被作为宝石出售，但大部分都被用作各种重工业的原料。 

锆石的形成

Zircon is a widespread mineral because it spreads throughout the Earth’s surface. The mineral is unnoticeable because of its particle size; however, it massively occurred in metamorphic and igneous rock formations.

由于锆石的耐久性和硬度，它在恶劣的天气条件下不会风化。因此，它也可以在大多数沙子和沉积矿床中发现。锆石通常以毫米大小的微小颗粒出现。然而，也有一些是大块形成的，可以在石灰石、充满碳酸盐的火成岩和伟晶岩中找到。

锆石沉积物的形成可能需要数百万年的时间。当含有锆石的岩石经历侵蚀和风化循环时，其颗粒会释放到土壤、沉积岩或沉积物中。

锆石的性质

锆石主要呈红褐色、白色、黄色、橙色、紫红色、绿色、蓝色、浅红色、黄褐色，无色。这种矿物有时可以是半透明的或透明的。当它暴露在荧光下时，锆石可能会呈现黄色。

在莫氏硬度表中，锆石的硬度为7.5，相对密度约为4.6至4.7g/cm3。它的平均尺寸在0.1到0.3毫米之间，但在碳酸盐岩和伟晶岩中可以生长得更大。

锆石的位置

Zircon mineral is mined in various parts of the world. According to Geology.com,  ten countries were significant producers of zircon in 2014. These include Australia, China, South Africa, Indonesia, India, Mozambique, Ukraine, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Brazil. Zircon in these countries is in sub-millimeter-sized grains due to the granitic rocks weathering.

Localities in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia have produced gemstone-grade zircon for hundreds of years. The most recent deposits include Australia, Madagascar, and Nigeria. These countries’ localities are known to have crystal-sized zircon with high clarity; hence, they mine zircon as gemstones.

通常，宝石级锆石是从经历过热液活动的风化岩石（主要是碳酸盐）中开采的。然而，一些最高质量的锆石晶体是直接从伟晶岩洞穴中提取的。

锆石的工业用途

Zircon has been used for over two centuries, and its early mining was mainly for jewelry. Thanks to the modern era’s tech advances, the mineral is now having a vast array of uses, such as follows:

1.陶瓷

Zircon is in high demand in the ceramics industry. Around 54% of the world’s finely ground zircon is used to manufacture ceramic glazes, bodies, frits, and enamels. Meanwhile, approximately 85% of the mineral is used to produce tile ceramics. 

然而，锆石在生产传统和现代陶瓷方面也有着重要的用途。在现代陶瓷的制造中，锆石被用作不透明剂，以改善陶瓷的颜色和白度。

相关的: 优质高岭土在陶瓷工业中的应用

2.铸造厂

Zircon is a mineral with a high melting point; therefore, it’s popular in the foundry industry. Because of its characteristics, zircon is ideal for investment casting, sand casting, and die casting operations. It is also used in the production of refractory washes and paints to lessen other foundry sands’ wettability.

3.耐火材料

锆石的特性使其在铸造行业和耐火材料行业具有重要意义。耐火材料可以指专门设计用于在高温下保持尺寸稳定性、耐化学性和强度的材料。它们主要由锆石、粘结剂、粘土、氧化镁和氧化铝制成。

相关的: 耐火高岭土是什么意思？它的用途是什么？

4.其他应用

Zircon’s high melting point and hardness make it valuable for the steel industry. The mineral is rich in hafnium and zirconium metals. The latter manufactures pipelines for specialty alloys, heat exchangers, harsh chemicals, and even nuclear reactor cladding. Meanwhile, the former is used in superalloys and nuclear control bars.

从锆石矿物的各种用途来看，锆石矿物在当今世界的作用越来越重要。它和 高岭土在全球市场的地位.说到高岭土，你可以 联系PT Yudian Kawan Mineral—领先的高岭土生产商和供应商-你应该对高岭土生意感兴趣吗。