Geochemical and technological characterization of a high purity quartz deposit, located near the Pablo Acosta station, Partido de Azul, Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Abstract

Quartz (SiO2) is a known mineral that has important applications in various industries. These applications mainly dependonits physical and chemical properties and on the impurity contents it contains. High-purity quartz (HPQ) is the most required but this deposit type is globally scarce. The presence of a rock body with considerable dimension and almost entirely composed of quartz was determined in the city of Azul. Petrographic studies revealed quartz crystals (70-600 µm) and a few phyllosilicate crystals. In addition, ductile and fragile deformation microstructures were recognized. Geochemical analyzes carried out on two samples, without and with manual preselection, indicated SiO₂ contents of 95-97 wt. %, and low contents of Al₂O₃ (<1.50 wt.%), Fe₂O₃ (<0.55 wt.%) and K₂O (<0.50 wt.%). On the other hand, a few fluid inclusions were observed. According to the obtained results, the studied quartz body reaches out to the conditions established to be classified as HPQ. Considering industry requirements, this mineral could be used in the ferroalloy industry, without treatments, and in the glass industry for color less packaging or insulation fiber–manufacturing if some purification methods are applied.