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Options in the HCl Process for the Production of Alumina from Clay

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Essential Readings in Light Metals

Abstract

The Bureau of Mines has conducted in-depth studies on the recovery of aluminum chloride hexa-hydrate and alumina from domestic kaolinitic clay. The original goal of the studies was to provide the technology for alumina production from domestic raw materials. Current research is focused on process modifications that would improve the economics of clay-HCl leaching and improve chances for transfer of the technology to commercial use. Options under investigation include direct leaching of raw clay, changes in leaching acid concentration and stoichi-ometry, decreased leaching duration, improved solid-liquid separations, elimination of solvent extraction for iron removal, and formation of basic aluminum chloride instead of aluminum chloride hexahydrate as an intermediate product. Implementation could decrease energy, equipment, and reagent costs by eliminating the calcination step, substituting filtration for thickening and washing circuits, and combining iron removal with aluminum chloride crystallization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reno Research Center Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior Reno, Nevada, 89512, USA

    D. E. Shanks, D. C. Thompson, R. M. Arington, G. L. Dan & J. A. Eisele

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  1. D. E. Shanks
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  2. D. C. Thompson
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  3. R. M. Arington
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  4. G. L. Dan
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  5. J. A. Eisele
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation, USA

    Don Donaldson

  2. Minerals Processing Division, FLSmidth, Denmark

    Benny E. Raahauge (General Manager - Pyro and Alumina Technology) (General Manager - Pyro and Alumina Technology)

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© 2016 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

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Shanks, D.E., Thompson, D.C., Arington, R.M., Dan, G.L., Eisele, J.A. (2016). Options in the HCl Process for the Production of Alumina from Clay. In: Donaldson, D., Raahauge, B.E. (eds) Essential Readings in Light Metals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48176-0_143

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