In this study, various parameters which affect the green strength, gas permeability and shear strength of unused casting sands were investigated in order to improve the quality of casting sands used in Estaş casting foundry. These parameters were chosen as water ratio % (X 1), coal powder % (X 2), active bentonite % (X 3) and unused new sand % (X 4). Mixture design (MD) method was used in the optimization studies. At the end of studies, the optimum X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 values, which maximize the compressive strength (Y 1), shear strength (Y 2) and gas permeability (Y 3) values, were determined as 3.50%, 6.00%, 6.66% and 83.08%, respectively. Y 1 , Y 2 and Y 3 values were determined as 12.7 N/Cm 2 , 4.0 N/cm 2 and 66 mmWS at these optimum X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 values.