Appearance
Bauxite appears earthy and pale in color. Bauxite is reddish-brown, whitish, or tan in color, with a dull luster.
Geographical Distribution
China and Guinea are the next two biggest producers of bauxite, after Australia. Since bauxite is nearly always found close to the surface of the ground with little to no overburden, it is often obtained by strip mining.
History
Bauxite was found in 1821 by French geologist Pierre Berthier close to the village of Les Baux in the southern French region of Provence.
Chemical Composition
Gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)), and diaspore (α-AlO(OH)) are the main aluminum minerals that make up bauxite. These are combined with goethite (FeO(OH)) and haematite (Fe2O3), the aluminum clay mineral kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4), and trace amounts of anatase (TiO2) and ilmenite (FeTiO3 or FeO.TiO2).
Uses
Aluminum oxide, or alumina, is largely made from bauxite and used to make aluminum metal. But bauxite is also used in other industrial processes. These are a some of the primary applications for bauxite:
- Aluminum production: Bauxite is primarily utilized as a raw material to make alumina, which is subsequently used to make aluminum metal. Aluminum is a strong, lightweight metal that resists corrosion and finds extensive use in a variety of industries, such as electronics, packaging, transportation, and construction.
- Refractories: Additionally, bauxite is utilized in the manufacturing of refractory materials which line kilns and furnaces that operate at high temperatures. Because refractory materials need to be resistant to corrosion and extremely high temperatures, bauxite is the perfect material for them.
- Abrasives: Sandblasting and grinding can be done with bauxite as an abrasive material. Aluminum oxide, a typical abrasive substance used in sandpaper, grinding wheels, and cutting tools, can be produced by crushing and processing bauxite.
- Chemicals: Cement can be made using bauxite as a raw ingredient. The cement known as calcium aluminate cement is created by processing bauxite with limestone and heating it in a kiln.
Other uses: Numerous chemical compounds, such as aluminum sulfate, which is utilized in the manufacturing of paper, water treatment, and other industrial purposes, can be made from bauxite.
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