Moulding sand management for improved properties and reclamation in metal castings

Sand is used in the foundries to make moulds for casting at high temperatures. Silica is mixed with binders which include sodium silicate bentonite and dextrin to bond the sand constituent elements together to form the mould cavity which could only be used once due to the sand cooking during casting. This research explored the possibilities of reclamation of cooked Silica by experimentation. This will enable the discovery of the maximum number of times the sand can be reclaimed for reuse before disposing it to landfills while retaining the same quality in the metal being cast.