On November 20–21, 2025, the 9th National Quartz Conference and Exhibition, hosted by China Powder Network, was grandly held in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. The conference focused on key topics such as high-purity quartz sand, quartz products, and silicon micropowder, drawing together professionals from across the entire industry chain. During the event, China Powder Network specially invited Sang Haibo, General Manager of Hefei Guxin Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., to appear on its “Dialogue” interview program, where they engaged in an in-depth discussion on technological breakthroughs in quartz ore color sorting, industry demand, and corporate development.

　　China Powder Network: Mr. Sang, to begin with, could you please provide a brief overview of Hefei Guxin Electronics’ core positioning and industry expertise in the field of quartz ore color sorting?

　　Mr. Sang: As the head of Hefei Guxin Company, I would like to outline the company’s core positioning and industry expertise in the field of color sorting for quartz ore, as follows:

　　1. Core Positioning: We are a technology-leading, globally service-oriented equipment supplier in the quartz ore color-sorting sector. With technological innovation at our core, we focus on delivering high-efficiency, high-precision, intelligent sorting solutions for quartz-processing enterprises. At the same time, we are committed to enhancing purification efficiency and advancing the high-end development of the quartz industry, thereby strengthening the global competitiveness of domestically produced color-sorting equipment. Whether it’s quartz purification for applications such as quartz stone granules, slab sand, natural sand, photovoltaic-grade sand, or high-purity quartz sand, or grade-based classification of quartz products, we provide cost-effective equipment and services.

　　2. Industry Expertise: On the one hand, the company has built a deep technological foundation—since its establishment in 2010, it has amassed more than 50 proprietary intellectual property rights and seamlessly integrated AI-powered sorting with multispectral fusion technology, achieving consistent color-sorting accuracy of over 99.9%. Its equipment can handle quartz materials ranging from 150 mesh to 15 cm in size, and for particles larger than 5 mm, it offers dual wet-and-dry operation as well as dust-removal capabilities that enable continuous production without downtime, making it highly adaptable to complex operating conditions. On the other hand, the company has enjoyed both robust market performance and numerous accolades: its products are not only bestsellers domestically but are also exported to dozens of countries and regions, including Iran, India, Egypt, Canada, and Australia. To date, it has received nearly 100 prestigious awards, such as “National High-Tech Enterprise,” “Green Crystal Ball Smart Manufacturing Award,” “Technology Breakthrough Award,” “** Product Award,” “** Service Award,” “Green Development Award,” “Outstanding Contribution Award,” and “Industry Leader,” while accumulating a wealth of application case studies and an excellent industry reputation.

　　China Powder Network: This report focuses on “the advantages of color sorting machines in the beneficiation of quartz ore and the associated process flow.” In your view, what are the core requirements of the current quartz industry for color-sorting technology?

　　Mr. Sang: In light of the current development trends in the quartz industry—namely, its increasing suitability for high-end applications such as photovoltaics and semiconductors—and enterprises’ needs for cost reduction and green transformation, the industry’s core requirements for color-sorting technology are concentrated in the following four areas:

　　1. State-of-the-Art Purification to Meet High-End Raw Material Standards: This is the core of the core. In the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries, quartz sand must have an SiO2 purity of 99.99% or higher, with trace impurities such as Fe and Al rigorously removed. The industry urgently needs breakthroughs in color-sorting technology that can detect impurities at the micrometer scale—precisely identifying iron-stained particles and gas–liquid inclusions that are difficult to discern with the naked eye—and employing multi-stage cascaded sorting to meet the stringent purification requirements of high-end materials, thereby helping to overcome technical barriers in the premium market.

　　2. Balancing precision and efficiency to minimize raw-material loss: The higher the purity requirement, the more likely it is that “good material is mistakenly rejected.” The industry needs color-sorting technology to optimize AI algorithms and enhance their ability to distinguish between similar impurities, thereby maintaining a high impurity-rejection rate while keeping the loss of qualified product at an extremely low level. At the same time, equipment throughput must be appropriately matched to large-scale production to prevent the sorting stage from slowing down the entire production line.

　　3. Adaptation to Complex Operating Conditions and Enhanced Scenario Compatibility: Quartz processing encompasses a wide range of forms, from blocky ore measuring just over ten centimeters to quartz sand with mesh sizes as fine as 100 mesh, while operating environments are often characterized by high dust levels and significant humidity fluctuations. The industry expects color-sorting technology to offer customized adaptability—for example, tailored feeding systems and sorting channels designed to handle fragile, high-purity materials—while also incorporating features such as enclosed dust-proof designs and dual dry/wet operation to cope with harsh conditions, thereby preventing dust from compromising recognition accuracy or causing secondary contamination of the material.

　　4. Intelligent upgrades to seamlessly integrate with digital manufacturing: Downstream enterprises are placing increasing emphasis on production data traceability and efficient operations and maintenance. The industry is demanding that color-sorting technology be integrated into factory MES systems to enable the storage and analysis of data such as impurity types and rejection volumes. At the same time, these systems must support remote O&M and algorithmic iteration, allowing for rapid adaptation to varying raw-material characteristics and purity standards across different mining regions, thereby reducing equipment downtime for maintenance and enhancing the overall level of intelligent collaboration in production.

　　China Powder Network: In the context of quartz ore sorting, what are the most prominent technical advantages of Guxin Electronics’ color sorters compared with traditional sorting methods?

　　Mr. Sang: Compared with traditional sorting methods, Gu Xin Electronics’ color sorters demonstrate outstanding technical advantages in quartz ore sorting across four key dimensions: accuracy, efficiency, adaptability, and stability, as detailed below:

　　1. A Quantum Leap in Recognition Accuracy: Conventional methods struggle to detect micron-level impurities due to insufficient equipment precision, leading to missed or false selections. The Guxin color sorter is equipped with an imported 5,400-pixel high-speed linear color smart CCD sensor and a custom optical system, enabling precise identification of minute impurities and color differences as small as 0.01 mm. Its color-sorting accuracy remains consistently above 99.9%, meeting the stringent purity requirements for quartz sand in the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries and fundamentally resolving the purification bottleneck that traditional sorting technologies have long been unable to overcome.

　　2. High sorting efficiency and low raw-material loss: Traditional sorting methods often result in the erroneous removal of good materials, whereas the optimized AI algorithm significantly reduces the carry-over rate, boosting raw-material utilization by more than 56%. At the same time, the sorting process can reduce manual labor by over 90%.

　　3. Enhanced adaptability across all application scenarios: Conventional methods exhibit poor adaptability and struggle to handle quartz ores of varying particle sizes and complex operating conditions. The Guxin color sorter covers the full particle-size range from 150 mesh to 15 cm, accommodating diverse material forms such as lump ore and fine sand, and capable of processing over a hundred different materials, including high-purity quartz sand and slab-grade sand. The equipment features a sealed, dust-proof design that not only prevents material breakage but also effectively mitigates dust and light interference, making it well-suited for harsh operating environments.

　　4. Long-term stable operation and convenient O&M: Traditional mechanical equipment is prone to wear and tear, requires frequent maintenance, and suffers from significant variability in manual sorting quality. The Guxin color sorter sources 70% of its core components from world-leading brands, ensuring a service life of up to 20 years for the entire machine; its high-speed air valves alone boast a service life exceeding 10 billion cycles. In addition, the user interface is intuitively designed, enabling operators to become proficient in just half an hour, while remote O&M capabilities further minimize downtime for maintenance and prevent production disruptions caused by equipment failures or staffing issues—common challenges in conventional operations.

　　China Powder Network: Mr. Sang, given the unique characteristics of quartz ore—such as the types of impurities, particle-size distribution, and purity requirements—what customized technical designs has the Guxin color sorter incorporated?

　　Mr. Sang: In view of the unique challenges posed by quartz ore—namely, the difficulty in identifying impurities, a wide particle-size distribution, and stringent purity requirements—our color-sorting equipment has undergone specialized, customized design across three core stages: identification, adaptability, and purification. The specifics are as follows:

　　1. Addressing Diverse Impurities: A custom optical–algorithm combination enables precise identification of hidden impurities. In quartz ore, iron-stained particles, mica, feldspar, and other impurities may closely resemble quartz in color or occur as internal gas–liquid inclusions, making them difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. By integrating an imported 5,400-pixel high-speed linear color smart CCD sensor with a custom optical system, we achieve micron-level high-definition imaging, accurately detecting minute impurities and color variations as small as 0.01 mm. At the same time, leveraging AI-powered intelligent algorithms and multispectral fusion technology, we have built a proprietary database of quartz-ore impurity characteristics, allowing differentiation across multiple dimensions—including color, texture, and light transmittance—thereby preventing the misclassification and rejection of qualified quartz due to similar colors. This solution effectively addresses the pain points of omissions and misclassifications inherent in traditional methods.

　　2. Handling a Wide Particle-Size Range: Adapting to the Full Particle-Size Spectrum While Balancing Sorting Efficiency and Material Protection Quartz ore processing spans an enormous range, from blocky material measuring over ten centimeters down to 150-mesh fine sand, resulting in vastly different sorting requirements for materials of varying particle sizes. Our intelligent color sorter covers the entire particle-size spectrum from 150 mesh to 15 centimeters, with custom-designed feeding and sorting channels tailored to each size range: when handling large quartz blocks measuring 10–50 mm, a coarse channel is used to rapidly remove obvious impurities; for fine crushed particles ranging from 0.5 to 10 mm, the system switches to a fine channel to enhance the detection rate of minute impurities; and for highly fragile, high-purity fine sand, a low-vibration feeder and a flexible sorting chute are specifically engineered to prevent material breakage and subsequent secondary losses, thereby meeting the particle-size requirements at different stages of the processing flow.

　　3. Meeting Stringent Purity Requirements: Multi-Stage Sorting + Low-Damage Design to Align with High-End Standards The photovoltaic and semiconductor industries have extremely high purity requirements for quartz sand SiO2. To address this, we have implemented two key customizations. First, we support a multi-stage cascaded sorting design, in which multiple units are connected in series to progressively enhance purity, thereby helping to achieve ultra-high purity levels exceeding 99.99%. Second, we have optimized the algorithmic control of the jet-valve system, enabling millisecond-level response times and precise targeting of impurities for removal, significantly reducing the carry-over ratio and increasing raw-material utilization by more than 48%. This ensures high-purity results while avoiding the wasteful over-removal of high-quality material in the pursuit of even higher purity. In addition, we have incorporated a closed-loop dust-proof and continuous cleaning design to prevent dust from interfering with recognition accuracy and to avoid secondary contamination that could compromise purity.

　　China Powder Network: For small and medium-sized quartz mining enterprises, which key performance indicators would you recommend focusing on when selecting color-sorting equipment? Does Guxin Electronics offer customized solutions or technical support services?

　　Mr. Sang: When small and medium-sized quartz mining enterprises select color-sorting equipment, the key is to choose parameters that align with their production capacity, control costs, and ensure optimal sorting performance. We provide tailored solutions and end-to-end technical support to meet these specific needs, as follows:

　　1. When selecting equipment, focus on the three core factors of sorting performance: prioritize color-sorting accuracy, choosing machines that can consistently achieve over 99.9% accuracy to meet the basic purification requirements for quartz ore; pay close attention to the carryover ratio, opting for equipment with a low carryover rate to minimize waste of qualified raw material—Gu Xin’s equipment can increase raw-material utilization by more than 48%; and ensure proper matching with processing capacity, avoiding the pursuit of excessively high capacity by selecting models whose hourly throughput is well-suited to your production line, thereby preventing equipment idleness and unnecessary cost waste.

　　2. Operations and Maintenance Fit with Cost: Prioritize equipment stability by selecting models with high-quality core components—for example, 70% of the core components in our Guxin equipment are sourced from leading international brands, ensuring a service life of up to 20 years and reducing the frequent maintenance expenses typical of small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, emphasize ease of operation by choosing equipment with simple user interfaces to lower employee training costs; our equipment can be mastered by staff in as little as half an hour. Finally, conduct a comprehensive cost analysis that compares equipment purchase price, energy consumption, and consumable expenses to prevent excessive operating costs from eroding profit margins down the line.

　　3. Flexibility in Scenario Adaptation: Priority should be given to color sorters that support multiple particle-size ranges; full-range models can meet the requirements of different processing stages in quartz mining operations. In addition, the equipment must be capable of withstanding harsh operating conditions, featuring dust-proof and dual wet/dry operation designs to prevent dust and fluctuating humidity levels in mining areas from compromising sorting performance.

　　4. Customized Solutions: We can tailor the optical system and AI algorithms to the specific impurity types found in quartz ore at different mining sites, thereby optimizing impurity detection performance. Additionally, we can customize the feed chute and discharge configuration to meet the enterprise’s particle-size processing requirements—for example, designing a low-vibration feeder for fragile, high-purity fine sand. At the same time, by taking into account the layout of the production line, we can adjust the number of processing channels and the overall equipment dimensions to ensure seamless integration with existing processes.

　　5. End-to-End Technical Support: Prior to sale, our team conducts on-site site assessments and provides tailored equipment configuration recommendations; during the sales process, we offer on-site installation and commissioning services to ensure rapid equipment deployment; after sale, in addition to remote operations and maintenance capabilities that enable swift troubleshooting of equipment malfunctions, we also provide algorithm iteration and upgrade services to adapt to changes in raw material characteristics. Furthermore, core components are backed by long-term warranties, significantly reducing the operational and maintenance burden for small and medium-sized enterprises.

　　China Powder Network: Looking ahead, in what directions do you believe quartz ore color-sorting technology will evolve? In the face of industry competition and technological advancement, what strategies and plans has Hefei Guxin put in place for the R&D of next-generation color-sorting technology?

　　Mr. Sang: In light of the upgrading demand for high-purity quartz materials in the quartz industry and the inherent patterns of technological development, there are five clear directions for the future development of quartz ore color-sorting technology. Hefei Guxin has accordingly formulated targeted R&D strategies and plans centered on technology, market, and services, as follows: The future development of quartz ore color-sorting technology will primarily focus on the following areas:

　　1. Ultra-high-definition detection achieves micron-level impurity resolution: As downstream photovoltaic and semiconductor industries continue to demand higher quartz purity, the technology is shifting from detecting millimeter-scale impurities to capturing sub-micron compounds measuring 5–20 microns, leveraging higher-resolution optical sensors and multispectral imaging to overcome the challenge of sorting “invisible” hidden impurities that are undetectable by the naked eye.

　　2. Deep Integration of AI and Big Data for Intelligent Upgrades: Color sorters will be equipped with advanced AI-based sorting models that feature self-learning capabilities, enabling automatic adaptation of parameters to the specific impurity characteristics of different quartz ores. Meanwhile, by collecting and analyzing data on impurity types and rejection rates, these systems will support production optimization and can also integrate with factory MES systems to enable end-to-end data traceability across the entire production process.

　　3. Tight integration with the Industrial Internet: Color sorters will serve as intelligent nodes within the Industrial Internet, seamlessly connecting with upstream and downstream production equipment to enable real-time data collection and closed-loop parameter control across the entire production line. Remote operations and maintenance, along with intelligent fault prediction and early warning, will also become standard features, thereby reducing manual intervention and downtime.

　　4. Multi-functional, integrated solutions to meet diverse needs: No longer limited to color sorting, these systems now incorporate multi-dimensional identification capabilities, including shape, texture, and compositional analysis. They can also be seamlessly integrated with crushing and screening equipment to form end-to-end, turnkey solutions. Furthermore, for high-purity materials that are fragile and prone to dust generation, the feeding and sorting configurations are optimized to minimize material loss and secondary contamination.

　　5. Greening to Support the Construction of Green Mines: Technologies will evolve toward lower energy consumption and reduced material loss. By optimizing algorithms and enhancing the performance of core components, it will be possible to increase product purity while reducing the rate of qualified-material losses. In addition, equipment will feature enhanced dust-proof and anti-interference designs to meet the environmental protection requirements of green mining operations.

　　The R&D layout and planning for Hefei Guxin’s next-generation color sorting technology are as follows:

　　1. Deepening Core Business and Upgrading Key Technologies: The company continues to invest in R&D to enhance its optical systems and AI algorithms, with a particular focus on overcoming the challenge of identifying sub-micron-level hidden impurities in quartz ore. At the same time, it is deepening innovation in niche areas such as high-purity quartz sand, improving equipment adaptability to quartz ores of varying particle sizes and morphologies, and further solidifying its competitive edge in color sorting accuracy exceeding 99.9%. To date, the company has secured more than 50 proprietary intellectual property rights and will continue to break through patent barriers by focusing on optical recognition, intelligent algorithms, and other related fields.

　　2. Promote the integration of intelligence and the Internet of Things: Develop a new generation of color sorters equipped with a multimodal AI engine to enable intelligent decision-making through equipment health monitoring, production environment sensing, and automatic precision adjustment; at the same time, enhance remote operation and maintenance capabilities, drive the integration of equipment with IoT and big data, and allow customers to achieve efficient sorting via remote monitoring while reducing on-site maintenance costs.

　　3. Accelerate global expansion and market development: On the basis of a solid foothold in the domestic market, proactively explore overseas markets while simultaneously optimizing the global after-sales service network to ensure that international customers also receive timely technical support; furthermore, by participating in international industry forums and benchmarking against world-leading technologies, enhance the competitiveness of our products in the global marketplace.

　　4. Strengthening Talent Development and Customer Collaboration: Intensify the recruitment and training of high-caliber R&D talent to build top-tier R&D teams; concurrently conduct in-depth field surveys at mining sites to translate customers’ pain points—such as production capacity and material loss during quartz sorting—into specific R&D priorities, thereby developing tailored sorting solutions. By adopting a “demand-driven R&D” approach, we ensure that our technological innovations remain closely aligned with market needs.

　　5. Grounded in the company’s DNA as a dedicated pioneer in mineral beneficiation technology, and guided by the core mission of “leveraging technology to advance public welfare while enabling industries to give back to society,” the company focuses on three key areas: “empowering vocational education, boosting rural industries, and safeguarding ecological sustainability.” By closely aligning its technological strengths and industrial resources with societal needs, the company is building a manufacturing-based public-service model that is “practical, sustainable, and replicable,” thereby achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes for both commercial and social value.