Skip to main content
Log in

Direct Calcification–Carbonation Method for Processing of Bayer Process Red Mud

  • Metallurgy of Nonferrous Metals
  • Published:
Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The highly-alkaline red mud, which is the Bayer process residue generated from the alumina industry, is a severe environmental problem. In this study, a new calcification–carbonation process was proposed for red mud disposal. Red mud was processed by lime to convert the aqueous silicon phase into hydrogarnet, which was then decomposed by CO2 to recover alumina. In the direct carbonation process, the NaOH-containing solution after calcification was directly carbonated without prior liquid–solid separation. The discrete and direct carbonation processes had alumina recovery rates of 34.9 and 35.5%, respectively, with 0.15 and 0.21 wt % Na2O in the final red muds, respectively. The optimum NaOH concentration in the calcification liquor was 30 g/L. Under these conditions, alumina recovery was increased to 44.5% and the Na2O concentration in the processed red mud was reduced to <1 wt %. The final red mud can be used as a construction material.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhu, X.F., Zhang, T.A., Wang, Y.X., Lv, G.Z., and Zhang, W.G., Recovery of alkali and alumina from Bayer red mud by the calcification-carbonation method, Int. J. Min. Met. Mater., 2016, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 257–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Agatzini-Leonardou, S., Oustadakis, P., Tsakiridis, P.E., and Markopoulos, Ch., Titanium leaching from red mud by diluted sulfuric acid at atmospheric pressure, J. Hazard. Mater., 2008, vol. 157, nos. 2–3, pp. 579–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Power, G, Gräfe, M., and Klauber, C., Bauxite residue issues: I. Current management, disposal and storage practices, Hydrometallurgy, 2011, vol. 108, nos. 1–2, pp. 33–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Liu, W.C. Study on the Multiphase Transformation of Bayer Red Mud in the High Temperature Roasting Reaction and Recovery of Iron Aluminum and Sodium, Dissertation, Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol., Wuhan, 2010, p.9.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Klauber, C., Gräfe, M., and Power, G., Bauxite residue issues: II. Options for residue utilization, Hydrometallurgy, 2011, vol. 108, nos. 1–2, pp. 11–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Qin, S. and Wu, B.L., Effect of self-glazing on reducing the radioactivity levels of red mud based ceramic materials, J. Hazard. Mater., 2011, vol. 198, pp. 269–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tsakiridis, P.E., Agatzini-Leonardou, S., and Oustadakis, P., Red mud addition in the raw meal for the production of Portland cement clinker, J. Hazard. Mater., 2004, vol. 116, nos. 1–2, pp. 103–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tor, A., Danaoglu, N., Arslan, G., and Cengeloglu, Y., Removal of fluoride from water by using granular red mud: Batch and column studies, J. Hazard. Mater., 2009, vol. 164, no. 1, pp. 271–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gray, C.W., Dunham, S.J., Dennis, P.G., Zhao, F.J., and McGrath, S.P., Field evaluation of in situ remediation of a heavy metal contaminated soil using lime and red-mud, Enviton. Pollut., 2006, vol. 142, no. 3, pp. 530–539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Liu, W.C., Sun, S.Y., Zhang, L., Jahanshahi, S., and Yang, J.K., Experimental and simulative study on phase transformation in Bayer red mud soda-lime roasting system and recovery of Al, Na and Fe, Miner. Eng., 2012, vol. 39, pp. 213–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Tanutrov, I.N., Sviridova, M.N. and Savenya, A.N., A new technology for coprocessing man-made wastes, Russ. J. Non-Ferrous Met., 2013, vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 136–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhong, L., Zhang, Y.F., and Zhang, Y., Extraction of alumina and sodium oxide from red mud by a mild hydro-chemical process, J. Hazard. Mater., 2009, vol. 172, nos. 2–3, 1629–1634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lv, G.Z., Zhang, T.A., Zhu., X.F., Liu, Y., Wang, Y.X., and Guo, F.F., Zhao, Q.Y., and Zheng, C.Z., Calcification–carbonation method for cleaner alumina production and CO2 utilization, JOM, 2014, vol. 66, no. 9, pp. 1616–1621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhao, Q.Y., Zhu, X.F., Lv, G.Z., Zhang, Z.M., Yin, Z.N., and Zhang, T.A., Calcification transformation of diasporic bauxite, JOM, 2016, vol. 68, no. 6, pp. 1711–1716.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rivas Mercury, J.M., Pena, P., De Aza, A.H., Turrillas, X., Sobrados, I., and Sanz, J., Solid-state 27Al and 29Si NMR investigations of Si-substituted hydrogarnets, Acta Mater., 2007, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 1183–1191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. You, S.W., Zhang, Y.F., Chen, F.F., Cao, S.T., and Zhang, Y., Transformation of NaCaHSiO4 to sodalite and katoite in sodium aluminate solution, Hydrometallurgy, 2014, vol. 141, pp. 43–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Frost, R.L., López, A., Scholz, R., Sampaio, N.P., and de Oliveira, F.A., SEM, EDS and vibrational spectroscopic study of dawsonite NaAl(CO3)(OH)2, Spectrochim. Acta A., 2015, vol. 136, no. PB, pp. 918–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Bi., S.W., Alumina production process, Chemical Ind., Beijing, 2010, p. 282.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li-Qun Xie.

Additional information

The article is published in the original.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xie, LQ., Zhang, TA., Lv, GZ. et al. Direct Calcification–Carbonation Method for Processing of Bayer Process Red Mud. Russ. J. Non-ferrous Metals 59, 142–147 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1067821218020050

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S1067821218020050

Keywords

Navigation