Bauxite

Abstract

Clay-like sediments composed mainly of alumina and iron oxide and practically devoid of silica were first described by Berthier in 1821 from Les Baux, in south-east France; such sediments were later named "bauxite' from their type locality. The term bauxite is now used for lithified or unlithified, residual weathering products rich in alumina and low in alkalis, alkaline earth and silica. From an industrial perspective, bauxite is a natural material that can be economically processed to high-purity alumina in the Bayer Process, thus making bauxite the principal ore of aluminium. Bauxite consists primarily of a mixture of aluminium hydroxides. Gibbsite, boehmite and, to a lesser extent, diaspore are the main aluminous minerals. The stratigraphic and geographic distribution of bauxite is described. -from Authors