BENEFICIATION STUDIES ON BAUXITE MINING WASTE: A VALUE ADDITION FOR REFRACTORYINDUSTRIES

Abstract: partially lateritised khondalite (plk) rocks are the waste materials generated as a result of mining of bauxite. the major discolouring elemental impurity in the plk is iron oxides, which render it unsuitable for its use as a refractory material. the iron can be removed by suitable beneficiation methods. the main aim of this present investigation is to prepare a value added material from the mining waste by preparation of plk rock containing less than 2% fe2o3 which finds application in the refractory industries and then preparation of brick suitable for industrial applications. the feed sample containing 4.31 % fe2o3 subjected to hydrocyclone for refractory of low iron content product in the underflow. the results of these studies reveal that the hydrocyclone underflow sample contains 1.9% fe2o3 is suitable for making bricks due to presence of low iron content. however, bricks are made from a feed sample as well as from hydrocyclone underflow and overflow products. physical, chemical and thermo-mechanical properties of these bricks are evaluated. mineralogical properties of these bricks are also correlated with the thermo- mechanical properties. the developed bricks are compared with the standards for their suitability in industrial applications. hence the bauxite mining waste can be a value added material but not a waste material which at present creates environmental pollution at the mining site.