Manufactured Abrasives Statistics and Information

By National Minerals Information Center

Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of the mineral commodity manufactured abrasives (metallic abrasives, fused aluminum oxide, Aluminum-zirconium oxide, silicon carbide, and boron carbide)

Manufactured abrasives are made by heating or chemically treating metals or minerals to give them physical properties needed to abrade, clean, etch, grind, polish, scour, or otherwise remove material by rubbing action (as in a grinding wheel) or impact (pressure blasting). Their most important properties are hardness, toughness (rigidity), grain shape and size, character of fracture, and purity (uniformity). Additional considerations include thermal stability, bonding characteristics, cost, and availability. No single property is paramount for any use.

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Manufactured Abrasives Statistics and Information

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Donald Olson

Mineral Commodity Specialist

U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the Interior