Aluminum residue waste for possible utilisation as a material: a review

Abstract

Recycling and reutilization of industrial waste and by-products are subjects of great importance today in any sector and more so in cement and concrete technology. Aluminium is the most widely used non-ferrous metal in the world. During the production of aluminum, a huge amount of waste is produced, known as dross, which is used for recycling and re-extraction of remaining aluminum. The dross is found to be toxic and hazardous waste for the environment and hence recycling or locking up of this waste is very crucial. The dross is mainly composed of oxides and aluminum and in the recycling, salt process is employed to recycle aluminum from the dross. This paper examines various forms of production of aluminum scrap, treatment methods, and typical application of aluminum residue. Brief description on waste management aspects is provided in this paper. The important observations made from the review studies are summarized.