Comparative Analysis of Fresh and Reclaimed Core Sand in Foundry Reuse Applications

This study examines chemical composition and grain morphology in fresh and reclaimed silica sand used for core production in an industrial iron foundry. The aim was to characterise in-house core sand before and after dry mechanical reclamation and to assess how repeated use affects element distribution and grain shape. Fresh and reclaimed sand samples from the core sand system were gathered and divided into standard size categories through sieving. The material was subsequently organised into fine, medium, and coarse layers using a stratified approach. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine the chemical composition, while dynamic image analysis assessed grain shapes by examining roundness at the Q10, Q50, and Q90 percentiles. Selected samples were additionally examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Reclaimed sand, especially fine particles (