Concept and Application of Bauxite

Aluminum (Al) is the most abundant metallic element in the Earth’s crust. Combined with oxygen and hydrogen, it forms bauxite, which is the most commonly used aluminum in ore mining. The first separation of aluminum chloride from metallic aluminum was in 1829, but commercial production did not begin until 1886. Aluminum is a silver white, hard, lightweight metal with a specific gravity of 2.7. It is a good conductor of electricity and very corrosion-resistant. Due to these characteristics, it has become an important metal. Aluminum alloy has light bonding strength and is therefore used in a wide variety of industries.

 
The production of alumina consumes 90% of the world’s bauxite production. The rest are used in industries such as abrasives, refractory materials, and chemicals. Bauxite is also used in the production of high alumina cement, as a water retaining agent or as a catalyst in the petroleum industry for coating welding rods and fluxes, and as a flux for steelmaking and ferroalloys.

The uses of aluminum include electrical equipment, automobiles, ships, aircraft manufacturing, metallurgical and chemical processes, domestic and industrial construction, packaging (aluminum foil, cans), kitchen utensils (tableware, pots).

 
The aluminum industry has initiated the development of technology for recycling materials with aluminum content and established its own collection center. One of the main incentives for this industry has always been a reduction in energy consumption, producing one ton of aluminum more than one ton of primary aluminum. This involves presenting 95% aluminum liquid from bauxite to save energy. Every ton of recycled aluminum also means saving seven tons of bauxite. In Australia, 10% of aluminum production comes from recycled materials.