Defects and Micro-Impurities in Glass Derived from Natural Milky-White Quartz Deposits in the Southern Urals

Abstract

Micro-impurities and defects in glass produced by a two-step method from natural quartz from the Urals have been identified. The study revealed that glass quality is determined by the presence and distribution of mineral and gas-liquid inclusions in natural quartz, as well as the fractional composition of the crushed material. In addition, the conditions of the melting process significantly affect the final product. In particular, almost all trace elements present in the quartz are transferred to the molten glass. Therefore, the trace element composition of the starting quartz is a critical factor in determining its suitability for producing high quality transparent quartz glass.