Bauxite

Bauxite, an aluminium ore, is the world's main source of aluminium.

It consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (-

AlO(OH)) and diaspore (-AlO(OH)), mixed with the two iron oxides
goethite and haematite, the clay mineral kaolinite and small amounts of
anatase (TiO2) and ilmenite (FeTiO3 or FeO.TiO2).

In 1821 the French geologist Pierre Berthier discovered bauxite near

the village of Les Baux in Provence, southern France.

In 1861, French chemist Henri Sainte-Claire Deville named the

mineral "bauxite".

Today the biggest producers are Australia, Brazil,

China.
 Kinds of Bauxite
There are two main kinds of bauxite ores: carbonate bauxites (karst
bauxites), and silicate bauxites (lateritic bauxites).
Carbonate bauxites were discovered earlier, and occur mainly in
Europe and Jamaica above carbonate rocks such as limestone and
dolomite.

Lateritic bauxites occur in many countries of the tropical belt. They

were formed from various silicate rocks such as granite, gneiss, basalt,
Syenite, and shale.

For bauxite to be created there must be intense weathering

conditions and very good drainage. Bauxite deposits with highest
aluminium content are frequently located below an iron-bearing
surface layer. In lateritic bauxite, the aluminum hydroxide contained
in laterite deposits is almost entirely a form called gibbsite.
 Formation

Lateritic bauxites (silicate bauxites) are distinguished from karst bauxite

ores (carbonate bauxites).

The carbonate bauxites occur predominantly in Europe and Jamaica

above carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite), where they were
formed by lateritic weathering and residual accumulation of
intercalated clay layers dispersed clays which were concentrated as
the enclosing Limestones gradually dissolved during chemical
weathering.

The lateritic bauxites are found mostly in the countries of the tropics.
They were formed by lateritization of various silicate rocks such as
granite, gneiss, basalt, Syenite, and shale.
 Formation Contd

In comparison with the iron-rich laterites, the formation of bauxites

depends even more on intense weathering conditions in a location
with very good drainage. This enables the dissolution of the
kaolinite and the precipitation of the gibbsite.

Zones with highest aluminium content are frequently located below a

ferruginous surface layer. The aluminium hydroxide in the lateritic
bauxite deposits is almost exclusively gibbsite.

In the case of Jamaica, recent analysis of the soils showed elevated

levels of cadmium, suggesting that the bauxite originates from recent
Miocene ash deposits from episodes of significant volcanism in Central
America.
 Production trends
In 2009, Australia was the top producer of bauxite with almost one-
third of the world's production, followed by China, Brazil, India.

Although aluminium demand is rapidly increasing, known reserves of

its bauxite ore are sufficient to meet the worldwide demands for
aluminium for many centuries.

Increased aluminium recycling (6 Lakh tonnes annually in India),

which has the advantage of lowering the cost in electric power in
producing aluminium, will considerably extend the world's bauxite
reserves.

In November 2010, Nguyen Tan Dung, the prime minister of Vietnam,

announced that Vietnam's bauxite reserves might total 11000 MT; this
would be the largest in the world.
 Processing
Bauxite is usually strip mined because it is almost always found near the
surface of the terrain, with little or no overburden.
As of 2010, approximately 70% to 80% of the world's dry bauxite
production is processed first into alumina and then into aluminium
by electrolysis.

Bauxite rocks are typically classified according to their intended

commercial application: metallurgical, abrasive, cement, chemical, and
refractory.

Usually, bauxite ore is heated in a pressure vessel along with a sodium

hydroxide solution at a temperature of 150 to 200 C.
At these temperatures, the aluminium is dissolved as sodium aluminate
(the Bayer process).

The aluminium compounds in the bauxite may be present as gibbsite

(Al(OH)3), boehmite or diaspore; the different forms of the aluminium
component will dictate the extraction conditions.
 Processing Contd
The undissolved waste, bauxite tailings, after the aluminium compounds
are extracted contains iron oxides, silica, calcia, titania and some un-
reacted alumina.
After separation of the residue by filtering, pure gibbsite is precipitated
when the liquid is cooled, and then seeded with fine-grained
aluminium hydroxide.
The gibbsite is usually converted into aluminium oxide, Al2O3, by
heating in rotary kilns or fluid flash calciners to a temperature in excess
of 1000oC.
This aluminium oxide is dissolved at a temperature of about 960C
(1,760 F) in molten Cryolite.
Next, this molten substance can yield metallic aluminium by passing an
electric current through it in the process of electrolysis, which is called
the HallHroult process, named after its American and French
discoverers.
 Bauxite production in the world
The production of bauxite is done in more than 40 countries of the world.

The important bauxite producers are (their percentage in worlds

production is given in bracket):
Year Production in lakh
metric tons
Australia (31.34%), China (18.41%), 2003 1,334
2005 1,650
Brazil (13.93%), Guinea (8.36%), 2008 2,050
2009 2010
Jamaica (3.98%), Russia (1.64%),

Venezuela (2.39%), Surinam (1.99%),

Kazakhstan (2.44%), Greece (1.09%),

Guyana (0.60%) and Vietnam (0.01%)

 Bauxite production in the world Contd

The worlds greatest bauxite producers and exporters are the countries
located in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

Australia is the largest producer of bauxite in the world. It accounts

for 31.34 per cent of the worlds production of bauxite and also has about
40 per cent of the bauxite reserves.
The Cape York Peninsula, New South Wales and Western Australia are the
main bauxite-producing provinces.

China accounts for 18.41 per cent of the worlds total bauxite production
and ranks second in production. Hunan, Guichou and Sichuan are the
main bauxite mining provinces.

Brazil is the third largest producer of bauxite in the world and

contributes 13.93 per cent to world production. The central region is the
main producing area.
 Bauxite production in the world Contd

India ranks 4th in bauxite production in the world and produces 11 per
cent of the world production in 2009. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and
Gujarat are the major producers of bauxite.

Guinea produces more than 8 per cent bauxite of the world and ranks 5th
in the world.

Jamaica is also a leading producer of bauxite, contributing about 4 per

cent of the worlds output. Jamaica is also having large reserves of
bauxite.

The other bauxite-producing countries are Venezuela, Surinam,

Kazakhstan, USA, Greece, Guyana, Indonesia, Hungary, France, Russia,
Turkey, Malaysia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, British Guiana, etc.
 Distribution of Bauxite in India
Bauxite is the raw material for making aluminium. It is not a specific
mineral but a rock consisting mainly of hydrated aluminium oxides. It is
clay-like substance which is pinkish whitish or reddish in colour
depending on the amount of iron content.
Production and Distribution: The total reserves of bauxite in India are
estimated at 27.40 crores tonnes. The major bauxite producing states in
India are Orissa, Jharkhand, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Goa in a descending order of
importance.

Orissa: Orissa is the largest producer of bauxite in the country and

contributes about one-third of the total production. Kalahandi, Bolangir,
Koraput, Sundargarh and Sambalpur are the main bauxite producing
districts.

Jharkhand: Jharkhand is the second largest producer of bauxite and

produces about 22% of Indias total. Ranchi and Palamau are the main
bauxite-producing districts.
 Distribution of Bauxite in India Contd
Gujrat: Gujarat produces about 15% of Indias bauxite and occupies third
position. Jamnagar, Kaina, Sabarkantha, Kachchh and Surat are the main
bauxite-producing districts.
Maharashtra: Maharashtra produces about 12% of Indias bauxite.
Exploitation of bauxite started much later in Maharashtra. It started first in
Thane district but now it is mined in Kolaba, Ratnagiri and Kolhapur
districts.
Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh contributes about 10% of the total
bauxite production in the country. Amarkantak plateau area in Shahdol
district, Mandala and Balaghat districts and Katni area of Jabalpur are
major bauxite-producing areas in Madhya Pradesh.
Other Producers: The principal deposits of bauxite in Karnataka occur in
Belgaum district. Bauxite deposits also occur in Nilgiris, Salem, Madurai
and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu. Some deposits are found in the
Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. High grade bauxite ore is found in Punch
and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir and plateau region of
Sarguja, Durg Raigarh and Bilaspur districts in Chhattisgarh. Some
bauxite deposits also occur in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
 Uses of Bauxite (Aluminium)
India is ranked 6th in the world in terms of Bauxite Reserves. Bauxite is
the ore of aluminium. A light durable, rust free metal called aluminium
is extracted from Bauxite. Aluminium is also good conductor of
electricity.

Aluminium is extracted from Bauxite. It is used widely in the

manufacturing of:
Automobiles,
Air crafts,
Building construction,
Electric wire and equipments,
Furniture and utensils,
Scientific accessories, and,
Aluminium mixed with copper produces Duralumin, a metal
much stronger than steel.