Hidden values in bauxite residue (red mud): Recovery of metals

Journal Article · Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WASMAN.2014.09.003· OSTI ID:22443568

Liu, Yanju; Naidu, Ravi

Highlights: • Current iron recovery techniques using red mud are depicted. • Advantages and disadvantages exist in different recovering processes. • Economic and environmental friendly integrated usage of red mud is promising. - Abstract: Bauxite residue (red mud) is a hazardous waste generated from alumina refining industries. Unless managed properly, red mud poses significant risks to the local environment due to its extreme alkalinity and its potential impacts on surface and ground water quality. The ever-increasing generation of red mud poses significant challenges to the aluminium industries from management perspectives given the low proportion that are currently being utilized beneficially. Red mud, in most cases, contains elevated concentrations of iron in addition to aluminium, titanium, sodium and valuable rare earth elements. Given the scarcity of iron supply globally, the iron content of red mud has attracted increasing research interest. This paper presents a critical overview of the current techniques employed for iron recovery from red mud. Information on the recovery of other valuable metals is also reviewed to provide an insight into the full potential usage of red mud as an economic resource rather than a waste. Traditional hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy are being investigated continuously. However, in this review several new techniques are introduced that consider the process of iron recovery from red mud. An integrated process which can achieve multiple additional values from red mud is much preferred over the single process methods. The information provided here should help to improve the future management and utilization of red mud.

• OSTI ID: 22443568
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Vol. 34, Issue 12; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BAUXITE
ENVIRONMENT
GROUND WATER
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROMETALLURGY
IRON
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METAL INDUSTRY
PYROMETALLURGY
RARE EARTHS
REFINING
RESIDUES
REVIEWS
SODIUM
TITANIUM
WASTES
WATER QUALITY