Bauxite is an example of an ore – a rock that contains economically important quantities of a mineral. Bauxite contains several aluminium hydroxide minerals, from which valuable aluminium can be processed, but the ore also contains some impurities and these need to be removed. Bauxite occurs mainly in tropical and sub-tropical areas: Africa, S. America, Australia and the West Indies. In most of these areas it occurs in 4-6m thick layers, just beneath the soil surface, so it is usually mined using opencast methods. The primary production of aluminium - ie smelting aluminium ores – requires a huge amount of energy. In contrast, making aluminium from recycling requires only 5% of this energy and this is why recycling aluminium – any form of aluminium, including foil - is environmentally sensible.

This Environmental Studies Factsheet explains:
• Processing bauxite.
• Bauxite resources and reserves.
• Environmental impacts.

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.PDF (pdf) 1.581 MB

Publication Date

January 2004

ISSN / ISBN

ISSN: 1351-5136

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