Glass

Glass manufacturing depends on a precise blend of raw materials — silica sand as the structural base, soda ash as the primary flux, and limestone, dolomite, and feldspar to control durability and viscosity. PlaxRaw supplies these materials to furnace-grade quality.

Browse Materials Request a Quote

Multi-Region Sourcing

Verified Composition

Reliable Batch Supply

Documented Origin

01Applications

Applications

Same soda-lime batch as the general furnace mix, with iron content held tighter (roughly 0.08-0.12% Fe₂O₃) for optical clarity across large panes.

Same soda-lime batch, but with a much larger share of recycled cullet (commonly 35-75%) displacing virgin raw materials.

Not soda-lime glass — fiberglass is typically E-glass, an alumino-borosilicate/calcium-silicate formulation with little to no soda ash.

Same soda-lime family, sourced from ultra-low-iron sand (roughly 120-150 ppm Fe₂O₃ vs. ~800-1,000 ppm standard) to maximize light transmission.

Same soda-lime batch, with deliberate colorant and opacifier additions (metal oxides, fluorosilicates) layered on top for color or opacity.

Not soda-lime glass — technical/borosilicate glass runs high-silica (70-80% SiO2) with 7-13% B2O3 replacing most of the soda ash and limestone, for thermal-shock resistance.

Same soda-lime batch, with iron deliberately raised (roughly 0.5% total iron) rather than minimized, to tint the glass green and block infrared heat.

Same soda-lime batch, with small documented metal-oxide colorant additions (iron, chromium, cobalt, selenium) added to reach specific facade tint targets.

Material	Role	Estimated Share of Batch
Silica Sand Primary network-forming oxide	The main glass-forming oxide, roughly 60–65% of a typical furnace batch.	60-65%Fe₂O₃ 0.08-0.12%Fe₂O₃ ≤150 ppmFe ~0.5% (intentional) Still core, but a smaller share (~54-65% SiO2 in E-glass) Still core, and a higher share (~70-80% SiO2)
Soda Ash Primary flux	Lowers the silica's melting temperature — typically 15–18% of the batch.	15-18% Minimal to none — E-glass isn't fluxed with soda ash Minor — boron takes over as the primary flux
Calcium Carbonate Stabilizer (CaO source)	Supplied as limestone, improves chemical durability — typically 10–13% of the batch.	10-13% Larger role as a CaO source (~17-26% CaO) Little to none — not a primary constituent
Dolomite MgO source	Supplies MgO to prevent devitrification — typically 3–5% of the batch.	3-5% Larger role as a combined CaO/MgO source Little to none — not a primary constituent
Feldspar Alumina source	Supplies alumina to improve viscosity and strength — typically 1–3% of the batch.	1-3% Larger role as the alumina source (~9-17% Al2O3) Minor alumina source
Sodium Sulphate Fining / refining agent	Removes gas bubbles during melting — typically 0.5–1% of the batch.	0.5-1% Not typically used Not typically used
Fluorspar Auxiliary flux	Used as an auxiliary flux in some specialty glass formulations.	<0.5% Not typically used Not typically used
Magnesite Furnace refractory material	Calcined into refractory magnesia used to line glass furnaces — not a batch ingredient itself.	— Furnace refractory only Furnace refractory only

Bars show the approximate share in a general soda-lime-silica furnace batch; these percentages don't apply to fiberglass or technical glass, which are a different chemistry family (see the note above).

02Common Challenges

What Are You Trying to Improve?

A direct shortcut to the problem you're looking to solve.

Reduce Bubbles & Seeds Improve Transparency Lower Energy Consumption Prevent Contamination Ensure Consistent Composition Improve Surface Quality

03Knowledge Center

Related Knowledge

Need help choosing the right material for your production line?

Our technical team will respond with a recommendation and technical specifications within one business day.

Request a Quote Now

Glass

Applications

Common Manufacturing Challenges

Low Glass Transparency

High Energy Consumption During Melting

Air Bubbles and Gas Inclusions

Black Specks and Contamination

Glass Cracking During Cooling

Inconsistent Chemical Composition

Poor Surface Quality

Furnace Wear and Refractory Contamination

Batch Mixing Inconsistency

Color Variation Between Production Batches