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Bauxite

Bauxite consists of minerals such as aluminium-iron oxide and hydroxides (boehmite, gibbsite, diaspore and corundum). It can be green, brown, red or grey. It has a hardness of 1 to 3, and its density varies between 2.5–3.5 gr/cm3.

Use of Bauxite

Bauxite is the raw material of aluminium. 90% of aluminium production is made from bauxite ore. Its most common use is aluminium production. As production of aluminium oxide and liquid aluminium, bauxite production differs from region to region. Bauxite is also used in the production of elements such as vanadium and gallium.

Aluminium made from bauxite ore is the raw material of countless products. Across the world, thousands of tons of aluminium produced from bauxite ores have a wide range of uses from packaging to spacecraft. Aluminium oxide is a white powder produced by refining red bauxite, as it contains nearly 30–40% iron. Aluminium metal is produced from mainly gibbsite and boehmite bauxite ore.

In cement production:

Bauxite is a material used to make cement. It is one of the materials, such as iron ore, sand and limestone, among others, used in clinker production, which is used to make cement. If there is not enough Al2O3 and Fe2O3, bauxite is added. It acts as regulator as it is a binding and cementitious material.

Bauxite is the raw material of aluminate cement. It is obtained by firing bauxite and limestone until they melt. Its compound is Cao 40%, Al2O3 40% and a small proportion of Fe2O3 and SiO2. It is very resistant to sulphated water.

In the refractory industry:

Bauxite is used in all furnaces used in the iron-steel industry, power plants, coke and gas production facilities, metalworking, and the ceramics, glass, and cement industries.

In making abrasives:

The diaspore in bauxite is sometimes used in emery stone, and corundum is used in the production of abradant and cutting materials due to its high level of hardness.

  • Emery paper and powder
  • Emery stone for grinding (sharpening)
  • Emery stone cylinder