Bauxite residue (red mud) treatment: Current situation and promising solution

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Industrial Chemistry

Background:

• Bauxite residue is a major industrial waste from alumina production, occupying land and harming the environment.
• Over 80% of global bauxite residue accumulates near production sites, posing significant environmental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advances in extracting valuable resources from bauxite residue.
• To explore applications in building materials, environmental adsorbents, energy storage, and soil alkalinization.
• To address limitations in current single-process utilization methods.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advances in bauxite residue resource extraction and applications.
• Analysis of current challenges in comprehensive bauxite residue utilization.
• Proposal of a component-based classification and multi-industry application system.

Main Results:

• Identified limitations in single-process approaches leading to low utilization rates.
• Highlighted potential applications across diverse sectors like construction and environmental remediation.
• Proposed a strategy for enhanced resource recovery and waste management.

Conclusions:

• A component-based classification strategy is crucial for effective bauxite residue utilization.
• Establishing a multi-industry application system can significantly increase comprehensive utilization rates.
• Tailoring treatment methods to residue characteristics is key for large-scale, effective application.