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Advances in Beneficiation of Low-Grade Bauxite

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Light Metals 2019

Part of the book series: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series ((MMMS))

Abstract

Bauxite is the major alumina (Al2O3 ) bearing ore used in the aluminum manufacturing industries. The bauxite containing less than 50% Al 2O3 is called low-grade bauxite ore which is commonly used for the alumina -based abrasives and refractories productions. The alumina -silica and alumina -ferrite complexes are the foremost impurities present in the low-grade bauxite . They affect its commercial utilities due to development of poor binding property in the alumina grains, which creates mechano-physical problems. Therefore, they must be removed from the low-grade bauxite . Different conventional bauxite purification or beneficiation methods have been used for their removal; however, they have several limitations. Bio-beneficiation is a potential solution to the problems associated with conventional methods. In the bio-beneficiation process, the biological agents such as microorganisms and their metabolic products can mobilize or polarize different impurities present in the low-grade bauxite by means of the active redox environment created by them in the indigenous atmosphere. Many reports have suggested that Paenibacillus polymyxa efficiently removes calcium from the low-grade bauxite . Similarly, iron-oxidizing and silicate bacteria remove iron and solubilise silica, respectively, from the low-grade bauxite . However, pilot scale operation of the bauxite bio-beneficiation process has not been reported. Research related to biotechnology should be undertaken in the future to develop a comprehensive and efficient process for the bio-beneficiation of low-grade bauxite ore.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, President, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), for providing infrastructure and encouragement throughout.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biofuels and Bioprocessing Research Center, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Jagamara, Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar, 751030, Odisha, India

    Lala Behari Sukla, Archana Pattanaik & Debabrata Pradhan

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  1. Lala Behari Sukla
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  2. Archana Pattanaik
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  3. Debabrata Pradhan
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Correspondence to Lala Behari Sukla or Debabrata Pradhan .

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  1. Metal Quality Solutions, LLC, Avonmore, PA, USA

    Corleen Chesonis

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Sukla, L.B., Pattanaik, A., Pradhan, D. (2019). Advances in Beneficiation of Low-Grade Bauxite. In: Chesonis, C. (eds) Light Metals 2019. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05864-7_1

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