Eight globally strategic minerals from Egypt's 1.3 billion mยณ Mediterranean deposit. Engineered quartz slabs under Italian Breton technology. Every shipment quality verified.
Mediterranean Coast ยท 400 km ยท Black Sand Deposit
Egypt holds one of the world's largest black sand reserves โ an estimated 1.3 billion cubic metres along 400 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline from Rashid to Rafah, across 11 confirmed sites. Average heavy mineral concentration is about 3%, rising to 7% in places. This is not a niche deposit โ it is a globally strategic mineral platform.
Eight globally strategic materials. One deposit. One origin. One partner. DEXPRO exports 7 of the 8 globally traded heavy minerals from Egypt's Mediterranean black sand.




DEXPRO exports 7 of the 8 globally traded heavy minerals from Egypt's Mediterranean deposit, with independent pre-shipment inspection by Control Union before loading.
| Mineral | Formula | Grade | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilmenite | FeTiOโ | TiOโ 46.61% (lab-verified) | TiOโ pigment ยท paints ยท plastics ยท cosmetics |
| Magnetite | FeโOโ | TFe 68โ72% | Sponge iron ยท cast iron ยท water filtration |
| Zircon | ZrSiOโ | ZrOโ+HfOโ 65โ66% | Ceramics ยท specialty glass ยท nuclear ยท Supplied: Italy ยท Spain |
| Garnet | FeโAlโSiโOโโ | Almandine ยท 20/40 ยท 30/60 ยท 80 mesh | Waterjet cutting ยท abrasive blasting ยท filtration |
| Rutile | TiOโ Natural | TiOโ 95โ97% | Aerospace titanium ยท medical implants |
| Leucoxene | TiOโยทFeO ยท 65โ90% TiOโ | High-Ti | Premium pigment feedstock ยท synthetic rutile ยท CU Certified ORE095.23 |
| Monazite | CeยทLaยทThยทPOโ | Strategic | Rare earth elements ยท nuclear ยท IAEA compliant |
| Titanite | CaTiSiOโ | Specialty | Specialty ceramics ยท rare earth extraction |
"For three years, DEXPRO has supplied high-grade zircon to leading ceramic manufacturers in Italy, Spain and China. The DEXPRO zircon jumbo bags photographed in this catalogue were shipped directly to a ceramic manufacturer in Italy."
Italy ยท Spain ยท China ยท 3-Year Supply RecordStandard mineralogical properties for each material in the DEXPRO black sand catalogue โ general reference figures for buyers modeling processing, transport, and end-use fit. Assay-grade percentages are DEXPRO's shipment-specific figures; the data below describes the mineral itself.
| Mineral | Crystal System | Specific Gravity | Mohs Hardness | Key Property |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilmenite FeTiOโ | Trigonal | 4.70โ4.79 | 5.0โ6.0 | Melting ~1,470ยฐC ยท Paramagnetic |
| Magnetite FeโOโ | Cubic (isometric) | 5.17โ5.18 | 5.5โ6.5 | Curie point ~580ยฐC ยท Ferrimagnetic |
| Zircon ZrSiOโ | Tetragonal | 4.6โ4.7 | 7.5 | Stable to ~1,540ยฐC ยท NORM โ see Compliance |
| Garnet FeโAlโSiโOโโ | Cubic (isometric) | 3.9โ4.3 | 7.0โ7.5 | Conchoidal fracture โ hardness + fracture driven |
| Rutile TiOโ | Tetragonal | ~4.2 | 6.0โ6.5 | Melting ~1,843ยฐC ยท Refractive ~2.6โ2.9 |
| Monazite (Ce,La,Th)POโ | Monoclinic | 4.6โ5.7 | 5.0โ5.5 | Contains Th โ regulated ยท IAEA compliance required |
Engineered quartz slabs produced on Italian Breton technology โ the global benchmark. approx. 90% quartz, 10% resin, surface finish Ra <0.1ฮผm, dimensional accuracy ยฑ0.05mm. DEXPRO exports Egyptian engineered quartz slabs to the USA, with three Control Union certified shipments delivered to Norfolk, Virginia.
| Parameter | Specification | Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Breton ยท Italy | Flexural Strength | 60+ MPa |
| Composition | approx. 90% quartz, 10% resin | Dimensional Accuracy | ยฑ0.05 mm |
| Quartz Powder Grade | SiOโ 99.6โ99.9% | Surface Finish | Ra <0.1 ฮผm |
| Color Variation | <1% | Slab Size (Standard) | Jumbo ยท 5.26 mยฒ |
| Thickness Options | 12 ยท 20 ยท 30 mm | Per Container (20' FCL) | 56 Slabs (3 cm), mixed designs |
| HS Code | 6810.99 | US AD/CVD Order | None on Egyptian origin |
The offer in brief
Since 15 August 2026, quartz slabs from the main supplying countries, including China, India, Vietnam, Turkey, Spain and Italy, pay a US safeguard duty of 25%, rising to 50% once the shared quota is used. Egypt is on the list of excluded developing countries, so Egyptian quartz pays no safeguard duty and uses no quota. DEXPRO offers dedicated, quota-free supply of premium quartz slabs made on Breton lines in Egypt.
US duty on Egyptian slabs today: 0% base rate (HTS 6810.99.0020) plus the 12.5% Section 301 duty that has applied to all goods from Egypt since 24 July 2026. Your customs broker confirms the duty for each entry. See the US market comparison.












White vein quartz from Egypt, washed and Sortex colour-sorted, in four grades: grit 0.7โ1.2 mm, sand 0.3โ0.7 and 0.1โ0.3 mm, and flour below 45 ยตm. SiOโ up to 99.9 %, FeโOโ 100 ppm, whiteness 93.9โ94.9 %. Up to 2,500 MT a month, loaded at Damietta or Alexandria.




DEXPRO manages the full export operation for Egyptian quartz slabs produced on Breton lines โ the global benchmark for engineered stone. SiOโ purity 99.6โ99.9%. Tango 18-head polishing line. Every shipment quality verified before loading.



Since 15 August 2026, quartz surface products from China, India, Vietnam, Turkey, Spain, Italy and other non-excluded origins pay a US safeguard duty of 25%, rising to 50% once the quota is used; those from China, India and Turkey also carry antidumping and countervailing duty orders. Egyptian-origin engineered quartz is not. For minerals, Egypt is a Mediterranean origin with direct sailings to US East Coast and European ports, without Suez Canal transit.
DEXPRO exports 7 of the 8 globally traded heavy minerals to the United States, Europe and Asia. DEXPRO is an export and trading house, not a mine or facility operator. Our value is sourcing, quality control and logistics across Egypt's supply base.
| Product | HS Code | US HTS | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilmenite | 2614.00 | 2614.00.60 | Titanium ores and concentrates |
| Rutile ยท Leucoxene | 2614.00 | 2614.00.60 | Titanium ores and concentrates |
| Zircon | 2615.10 | 2615.10.00 | Zirconium ores and concentrates |
| Magnetite | 2601.11 | 2601.11.00 | Iron ores, non-agglomerated |
| Garnet | 2513.20 | 2513.20 | Natural abrasives |
| Engineered quartz slabs | 6810.99 | 6810.99 | No US safeguard or AD/CVD on Egyptian origin |
Classification shown for guidance. Confirm the final code and current duty for each entry with your customs broker.
I have never had a dedicated sales team. Every client has come to me because of the quality I delivered. Invest everything in what you produce. The sales will follow.
One failed shipment can cost you a client for a decade. What I say I will deliver, I deliver. On time. At the agreed quality. Every single time.
When the US placed antidumping duties on Chinese quartz surfaces, I named our brand Cuarzo del Nilo โ the Quartz of the Nile. Authenticity is always detected. So is imitation.
"In 1989, I walked into Worlee in Hamburg โ one of Germany's largest importers of Egyptian Marjoram. The man said: 'We already buy Egyptian Marjoram. Through a dealer in New York.' An Egyptian product, grown in Egyptian soil โ and Germany was buying it through an American middleman. I went back and made one decision: I would become the supplier that never gave a buyer a reason to worry. Three years later, I had 40% of Germany's Egyptian herb import market. Then came McCormick's โ the world's largest spice company. We met the standard."
โ Khaled El Defrawy ยท CEO DEXPRO ยท 45 Years in International TradeBefore the black sand and the quartz โ the herbs that built a name in Germany, the forage that fed the Gulf's finest horses, the beet pulp that made Khaled number one in the UAE โ years before DEXPRO was born, and the salt that started it all under the AMASIS brand. Every photograph below is a real DEXPRO shipment, product or facility.




















Engineering the Legacy of the Nile ยท Founder & CEO ยท DEXPRO S.A.E. ยท 45 Years in Trade
"We do not just export commodities; we export engineered reliability. Every batch, every mineral fraction, and every slab that leaves our facilities carries the promise of our corporate DNA: absolute quality, structural integrity, and a dedication to the natural world."
Trained under Mokhtar El Kishky (photo alongside). Rose to head of quality control and US export compliance. Mastered ASTA standards and FDA compliance. In 1982 enrolled at Cairo University Faculty of Commerce.
48-day solo road trip across Europe. Captured 40% of Germany's Egyptian herb imports in three years โ Worlee Hamburg, Herman Laue, Krauter Mix, NATCO UK. First direct exporter of Austrian Caraway to New York under its true origin.
Youngest ASTA member. Supplied McCormick's, Gel Spice, Griffith Laboratories. Egypt's third-largest herbs and spices exporter.
Facilitated a USD 78 million Siemens telecommunications project in Sudan via Luxembourg banking, covered by export payment default insurance.
Hired to develop the group's juice export department. Six months in, closed an under-license manufacturing agreement with Happy Garden โ sister brand of Italy's Granini โ and signed an export contract worth USD 16 million in one year.
Stepped into the forage business โ exporting Alfalfa and Timothy horse feed from the USA and Canada to the UAE, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. First exporter of Alfalfa and Timothy horse feed โ pellets, standard and jumbo bales, plus full bulk vessel loads from Romania to Beirut โ from Canada, the USA and Romania into Saudi Arabia. Closed a supply contract with the Abu Dhabi Government worth USD 56 million. Became the number one exporter of French sugar beet pulp pellets to the UAE.
DEXPRO S.A.E. established in October 2018. By November, DEXPRO was exporting deicing salt to Romania โ the first exporter of Egyptian deicing salt packed in 10 kg bags, under the company's own AMASIS brand.
Exporter of Egyptian black sand minerals and engineered quartz โ built on the AMASIS salt export start. 7 of 8 strategic minerals exported. First confirmed Egyptian quartz trial shipment to USA. Cuarzo del Nilo brand launched.
No material unit โ whether bulk industrial minerals or premium Cuarzo del Nilo slabs โ is released for port loading until our Four Pillars of authentication are satisfied in full. Pre-Shipping Inspection covers cargo quality, bag integrity, weight verification, and sampling.
Our unwavering "Quality Guaranteed" promise โ protecting every partner, every shipment, every time.
Global leadership and professional standards โ DEXPRO operates at the highest echelon of compliance.
"Quality Verified" status โ confirmed through our rigorous three-stage testing cycle on every batch.
Unyielding consistency across all shipments and documentation โ from first sample to final port release.
Source authentication at extraction
Bag integrity & weight verification
Final container inspection & sampling




DEXPRO discloses known regulatory exposure on its export lines directly, rather than leaving buyers to discover it through their own compliance review.
Zircon sand carries naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) above the IAEA exemption level โ a known, industry-wide characteristic of zircon as a mineral, not specific to any single origin. DEXPRO ships zircon only in 1,250 kg jumbo bags โ bulk loading is not used for this material.
California's Cal/OSHA has advanced emergency rulemaking that could restrict engineered stone fabrication above a 1% crystalline silica threshold โ a jurisdiction-specific, fabrication-side regulation under active review. DEXPRO is tracking its status and implications for buyers fabricating in scope jurisdictions.
| Certificate | Issuing Body | Scope | Port / Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ore086 | Control Union | Zircon | Livorno |
| Ore098 | Control Union | Quartz Slab | Norfolk, VA |
| Ore099 | Control Union | Quartz Slab | Norfolk, VA |
| Ore105 | Control Union | Quartz Slab | Norfolk, VA |
| Ore249 | Control Union | Ilmenite | Xingang, China |
| Min2023-0035 | TรV Rheinland | Loading Supervision | Damietta |
| โ | CCIC Africa | Ilmenite ยท XRF Lab Report | โ |
Certificate numbers correspond to third-party inspection records held by DEXPRO. Buyers may request underlying certificate documents directly.
DEXPRO is an export and trading house, not a factory operator. The Cuarzo del Nilo slabs we export are produced in Egypt on Italian Breton lines, and every lot is inspected before loading.
We utilize a proprietary Three-Stage Quality Protocol for every shipment: Pre-Packing Inspection (raw material verification), Post-Packing Audit (packaging and moisture control), and Pre-Loading Certification (final compliance check). This internal discipline allows us to maintain the strict consistency required by major European industrial partners.
Our standard engineered quartz slabs are manufactured using a verified, high-performance blend of 90% natural quartz and 10% resin binder โ calibrated to provide the optimal balance of Mohs hardness, thermal resistance, and flexural strength, fully complying with EN-14617 standards.
DEXPRO has proactively restructured its export logistics to provide a Suez-bypass advantage. By leveraging optimized routes and maintaining strategic stockpile buffers, we minimize reliance on conventional high-risk corridors โ guaranteeing reliable, shortened lead times to European ports compared to standard long-haul Asian supply routes.
Yes. All materials exported by DEXPRO S.A.E. are handled with full awareness of international industrial compliance requirements. We actively monitor and adhere to EU REACH regulations to ensure that our feedstock and surface materials are ready for immediate integration into your production facilities.
With over 45 years of experience in the international trade and processing sector, we have the technical capability to adjust our processing parameters. We frequently work with industrial partners to refine grain size distributions for magnetic and non-magnetic fractions to match specific furnace or reactor requirements.