Plasma Technology for Glass-Microspheres Production Based on Ferruginous Quartzite Tailings of the KMA

A technology was developed for producing in a plasma reactor glass microspheres using the ferruginous quartzite tailings of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly [KMA]. The predictable effects of the plasma-forming argon-gas flow rate and the plasma reactor power on the fractional composition were determined. It is shown that on increasing the plasma-forming gas flow rate from 1.5 to 2.5 m3/h and the current strength from 400 to 500 A the fraction amount over 630 μm increases due to coagulation processes. It is shown that the glass microspheres are enriched in aluminum and calcium oxides and depleted of silicon, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron oxides. It is shown that at high plasma temperatures, of the order of 9000 – 12,000 K, the particles melt completely and spherical glass microspheres ranging in size from 80 to 1250 μm are formed. Operational metrics, such as microhardness, acid resistance, and alkali resistance, of the glass microspheres based on the ferruginous quartzite tailings of KMA were investigated.