O
n the subject of the tightening sand supply around the metalcast-
ing industry, a procurement engineer for a major North American OEM’s metalcasting division was unequivocal. It’s happening. “We’re having significant prob-
lems getting sand sourcing for future products,” said the buyer, who wished to remain anonymous. According to the anonymous
source, the company’s existing jobs are in no danger of being tripped up by a shortage, but with many new products hitting the market, finding sources for sand on future jobs could be difficult. “No one has called us up and said
they couldn’t fulfill an order,” he said. “But for two new programs, [the sup-
pliers] declined to quote the project.” Multiple industry sand suppliers
agree a shortage is coming. But many small metalcasters have heard noth- ing of the sort. Still other experts in the industry wonder if the shortage is being overblown. “I think the sand shortage myth doesn’t
represent the reality,” said an industry veteran who declined to give his name. Whatever the reality, conditions
have changed in the markets for most major metalcasting sands—includ- ing silica, olivine and zircon—and metalcasters should be aware potential problems exist, according to Dave Jablonski, who handles metalcasting sales for sand miner and distributor Badger Mining Corp., Berlin, Wis. “Metalcasters that aren’t aware of
the situation need to know what’s going on,” he said. “If the foundry industry is going to grow, it will need sand.”
The New F-Word Te FCC probably doesn’t mind
the word “frack,” but metalcasters may get to know it as a four-letter word, according to Jablonski. Fracking refers to hydraulic fracturing, the process of using sand in oil or gas drilling to draw more fossil fuels to the surface. By pumping a slurry into wells at high pressures, fuel harvesters can create additional cracks in the earth’s surface through which oil or gas can rush, making their job quicker and easier. Silica sand is a primary ingredi- ent in the slurry, but historically, the oil and gas industry consumed less of the sand and a different size than that used by metalcasters. In 2005, the pro- cess of fracking was turned on its side. “Previously, they drilled the well
vertically,” Jablonski said. “Tey would harvest the oil only around the well. Now, they have the technology to go horizontally, and they can do more.” Doing more means a need for
greater amounts of sand (Jablonski estimates the industry’s consump- tion has jumped fivefold in the last 10 years). And breaking through the earth horizontally from the well and into certain rock formations (e.g. shale) requires a different grade of sand. For vertical fracking, the oil service compa- nies wanted only round grains with high integrity, no impurities and 20-30-40 mesh particles. “With the advent of horizontal
drilling, there were two changes,” Jablonski said. “Tey [began using] so much sand there was not enough of that sand for their purposes, so they are learning to use 50-70-100 mesh particles, which are major constituents of metalcasting sand. Te other thing is…those finer sands actually work better than the coarser sand.” Which means metalcasters could
ONLINE RESOURCE Visit
www.bls.gov/ppi for sand prices.
July 2011 MODERN CASTING | 29
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