Sand Matters: Sand in Glass Production
Glass production requires the use of several different ingredients, but among them, sand is the uncontested leader. Choosing the suitable glass sand is of great importance for the final look of glass bottles or other containers, especially impacting their shade and level of transparency. Edwanex values the highest quality. That’s why we manufacture super flint glass packaging, using carefully selected, high-quality glass sand. What makes super flint glass so special? How important is the selection of sand in achieving this effect? Where do we source this important raw material and why? Find out in the article.
Super Flint Color – What’s So Special About It?
Domestic flint and super flint are the terms used to describe the natural color of glass. Anyone who has had, for example, cheap jars for preserves at home will be familiar with the tint characteristic of domestic flint. It is slightly greenish or yellowish, visible especially in the thickest parts of the glass – at the bottom and the neck.
On the other hand, super flint glass is totally colorless. Our glass is ideal for the production of elegant bottles for luxury spirits, as it perfectly highlights the distinctive color of the drink. That’s why amber whiskey or colorless vodka looks great in the bottles we manufacture. What is the secret of such clean glass? First of all, it lies in the glass sand!
Sand is the Main Raw Material in Glass Production
To produce glass, we mix several ingredients, including sand, limestone, soda, and clarifying agents. We also add glass cullet, reducing the use of raw materials and energy, and thus having a positive impact on the environment. Then we melt it all at 1,450 degrees Celsius and make beautiful glass packaging from the molten mass.
Sand is undoubtedly the most important element in the entire process. We use this raw material the most in terms of weight and volume. It constitutes approximately 75% of the glass composition. The quality of the final product, including color, depends on the quality of the glass sand – primarily its level of iron oxide contamination.
If the sand contains a lot of iron oxides, the glass takes on a light yellow or greenish tint, typical of domestic flint. However, if the content of iron oxides is low, the glass color is close to colorless, which is extremely desirable in premium alcohol bottle production.
Where Does Edwanex Obtain High-Quality Glass Sand?
Edwanex chooses carefully selected quartz sand. Since the very beginning, i.e. since 1977, the glassworks has been ordering it from the same place – from the Quarzwerke Poland glass sand mine, located in Osiecznica near Bolesławiec. So many years have passed, and we are still delighted with the quality of the raw material. And we absolutely do not plan to change the supplier!
This refined type of sand from Bolesławiec has some of the best quality parameters in Europe. It can be considered unique for many reasons. Thanks to the large quantity of quartz, the glass becomes durable and resistant to mechanical damage.
The raw material obtained from Quarzwerke Poland is also characterized by an ideal level of granulation. It also has extremely high chemical purity, including a low content of iron oxides, which guarantees the colorlessness of the glass. In addition, it is simply beautiful – delicate, fine, with a wonderfully milky white color. Its appearance is reminiscent of the sand covering the exotic beaches of the Maldives or Seychelles.
With such a good raw material, we can easily create super flint glass. We are happy to cooperate with producers of premium alcoholic beverages. The quality of the glass bottles Edwanex produces goes hand in hand with the quality of the alcohol contained in them. We are happy to implement any interesting concept!