10 Facts about Bauxite

Let me show you the main source of aluminum in the world in Facts about Bauxite. This aluminum ore contains some minerals such as diaspore a-AlO(OH), boehmite ?-AlO(OH), and gibbsite Al(OH)3. It also has anatase TiO2, kaolinite, haematite, and iron oxides goethite. If you want to know more about the discovery, production and usage of bauxite, check the below explanation below:

Facts about Bauxite 1: Pierre Berthier

Pierre Berthier was the French geologist who named the element bauxite in 1821. He discovered bauxite in Les Baux.  It is a province located in southern France. When he discovered bauxite, he realized that it contained aluminum. The name Bauxite was taken from the name of the village.

Facts about Bauxite 2: the types of bauxite

Some types of bauxite include carbonate bauxites/ karst bauxite ores and lateritic bauxites/ silicate bauxites. Both are totally different.

Bauxite Facts

Facts about Bauxite 3: carbonate bauxites

If you want to find out the abundant carbonate bauxites, you have to check it in Jamaica and Europe. It is considered as the dominant bauxite in the region.

Facts about Bauxite 4: lateritic bauxites

The countries of the tropics contain lateritic bauxites. The formation of this bauxite is from different kinds of silicate rocks such as syenite, shale, gneiss, basalt and granite.

Facts about Bauxite

Facts about Bauxite 5: the intense formation

The formation of bauxite is determined by the type of the weather condition in the certain region. It must have great drainage. It will encourage the precipitation of gibbsite and kaolinite.

Facts about Bauxite 6: the top producer of bauxite in 2009

The top producer for bauxite was Australia in 2009. It occupied one third of the production of bauxite in the world.  The other top producers of Bauxite after Australia were in China, Brazil, India and Guinea. Check Australia facts here.

Bauxite Reserves

Facts about Bauxite 7: the demand of aluminium

Aluminium is one of the important assets in the world production. The demand of this element is increased from time to time. However, the reserve of bauxite is still enough to meet the demand of aluminium. Get facts about aluminum here.

Facts about Bauxite 8: the reserves of bauxite in Vietnam

The prime minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dunk stated that the total reserves of bauxite in the country were around 11000 Mt in November 2010. It is considered as the largest one in the world.

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Facts about Bauxite 9: the processing of bauxite

Around 70 to 80 percent of the dry bauxite production in the world is processed into alumina. It will be made into aluminum in the electrolysis process.

Facts about Bauxite 10: the old fashioned process

The process of making aluminum in the past was by heating the bauxite ore with potassium or sodium.

Bauxite Image

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