A total of 21 companies make up the O’Regan Group, each of them linked to the original idea thought up over 100 years ago,

AGGREGATES!

Sotutrass Silica Sand

CASSO-SA is the Tunisian arm of The O’Regan Group Ltd; and has secured a deposit of high grade silica sand in Sotutrass.

The deposit holds over 30Million tonnes and will be on line in early 2009.

From this deposit we will be supplying to the UK, Sweden, and Algeria. The deposit will also be supplying the local Market with the raw materials for concrete production assisting the vast building program for the next 15 years. The sand will be divided into three grades and sub-grades of; A B and C.

Production of silica sand

High grade silica sand is usually found as unconsolidated deposits below thin layers of soil, overburden and vegetation.

After quarrying, the sand often undergoes considerable processing before sale. The processing may include washing and cleaning of the grains, sizing to remove

After processing, the sand may be dried and some applications require it to be ground in ball mills to produce very fine material.

The first industrial uses of crystalline silica were probably related to metallurgical and glass making activities a few thousand years BC. It has continued to support human development throughout history, being a key raw material in the industrial revolution especially in the glass, foundry and ceramics industries. Silica contributes to today’s information technology revolution being used in the plastics of computer mouse’s and providing the raw material for silicon chips.

Glass Silica is the major ingredient in virtually all types of glass. The principal glass products include containers (bottles and jars), flat glass (windows, mirrors, vehicle glazing etc.), lighting glass (light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, etc.), tableware (lead crystal, drinking glasses etc.), TV tubes and screens, decorative glass, fibreglass, optical glass and vacuum flasks.
Foundry casting Silica has a high melting point, 1610 degrees C. This enables castings to be produced by pouring molten metal into moulds made out of silica sand.
Ceramics Silica that has been ground to fine size is an ingredient of most clay bodies and is a major constituent of ceramic glazes. Typical everyday products include tableware, sanitaryware, ornaments and wall and floor tiles.
Filtration Closely sized grades of silica sand is the principal filtration medium used by the water industry to extract solids from wastewater.
Specialist building applications The construction industry is founded on silica and there are a host of specialist applications including silica and aerated concrete blocks, floor and roof tiles, flooring and rendering compounds, white line markings, roofing felt and cement and resin injection systems.
Sports and leisure Silica sand is used for equestrian surfaces, in artificial turf, golf course root zones and dressings, football and cricket and other pitches and as play sands.
Other users Silica has many other applications including the manufacture of chemicals and metals, fillers in numerous products, plastic and otherwise, the manufacture of refractories, stimulating oil production and as additives in agricultural and horticultural products. It is difficult to imagine a life without silica! CASSO-SA is also looking into other aggregate products from the region. Should you require any further information on our products please do not hesitate to contact us.