Quantitative Analysis of the Shape Characteristics for Quartz Particles

Quartz, as an important non-metallic mineral, is widely used in many industrial fields. The shape characteristics of quartz particles are key factors affecting the bulk density, construction performance, and high-temperature performance of dry ramming mixes. This study focuses on quartz with seven different particle sizes from four different origins. Using digital image processing technology, geometric parameters such as flatness, circularity, and angularity of the particles (with a count equal to or exceeding 300 for each particle size category) were quantitatively analyzed, and the fractal dimension of quartz particles was calculated based on fractal theory. The results show that quartz from Luoyang exhibits the highest flatness, and quartz particles from Fengyang present the highest circularity, while the flatness and angularity of quartz particles from Xiangyang and Chengde are similar. The fractal dimensions of 20–100 mesh quartz particles from Fengyang are in the range of 1.027 to 1.060, greater than those of the other quartz particles. At smaller particle sizes, the shape of quartz from various origins tends to be regular (the circularity of particles of 70–100 mesh is >0.8). Through the quantitative characterization of parameters, the relationship between particle shape and size was revealed, which provided an important basis for selecting the raw materials and performing quality control for silica-based dry ramming mixes.