Abstract
Lateritic bauxite are the products of intense sub-aerial weathering of rocks. It is characterized by a particular enrichment of aluminium-hydroxide minerals such as gibbsite, boehmite and diaspore. Bauxite ore is the result of weathering of various parent rocks such as khondalite, Deccan trap basalt, granite gneiss, charnockite, etc. The two types of lateritic bauxite deposits are located in India viz high level and low level (coastal), situated in the regions namely Eastern ghat, Western ghat, central India, Gujarat, and in union territory Jammu. There are distinct geological variations in the mode of occurrence and ore body configuration. The geological, chemico-mineralogical and petrological characteristics are varying in deposits from region to region. The Eastern ghat and west coast bauxite is dominant in gibbsite minerals however, the central Indian bauxite is mixed gibbsitic boehmite and at places diasporic in nature.
For the present study, representative samples of bauxite have been collected from Indian deposits. The samples were characterized for chemical composition, mineralogy and petrography. The bond work index tests have been performed on bauxite samples by standard procedure. The bond work index of ore indicates how much energy is required to grind the ore and it is a very significant property from a plant point of view. The laboratory results show that the eastern ghat bauxite is soft (BWI-10 kwh/mt) as compared to Central Indian bauxite (16 kwh/mt). The studies indicate that the base rock/parent rock, geological formation, mineralogy, etc. play an important role in the hardness of bauxite. In the present paper, details of the Bond work index of various bauxite are specified and factors responsible for the hardness of the ore is being highlighted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adhikari, S.K. (2021) Issues concerning bauxite mining in India; Presentation in “Bauxite Miners Meet (BMM-2021)” September 29, 2021, JNARDDC, Nagpur.
Ashok Nandi (2021) Can India provide enough bauxite to the growing alumina industry. Minerals & Metals Review (MMR), pp.31–37.
Bardossy, G. and Aleva, G.J.J. (1990) Karst Bauxites, Bauxite deposits on carbonate rocks, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, pp.14–19.
Bhukte, P.G., Daware, G.T., Masurkar, S.P., Chaddha, M.J., and Agnihotri, A. (2021) Beneficiation of low-grade Bauxite: A case study of Lateritic Bauxite of India; Springer, Innovations in Sustainable Mining; Balancing Environment, Ecology & Economy, pp.85–98
Bhukte, P.G., Daware, G.T., Masurkar, S.P., Mahendiran, P., Janbandhu, K., Rao, K.R., Singh, U., Puttewar, S.P. and Agnihotri, A. (2020) Geochemical, mineralogical and petrological characteristics of Lateritic Bauxite deposits formed on Deccan Trap Basalt with reference to high-level and coastal (low level) deposits of Maharashtra; Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.95, pp.587–598.
Bhukte, P.G., Puttewar, S.P. and Agnihotri, A. (2017) Evaluation and beneficiation of Lateritic Bauxite deposits of India; Jour. Geosci. Res., v.1, pp.251–256
Bhukte, P.G. and Chaddha, M.J. (2014) Geotechnical evaluation of Eastern Ghats Bauxite deposits of India. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.84, pp.227–238
Bhukte, Pravin, Mohamed Najar, Daware, G.T., Masurkar, S.P., Puttewar, S.P. and Agnihotri, A. (2020) Technical assessment of lateritic bauxite - a case study of high-level bauxite deposits in Maharashtra, METAL ASIA-Aluminium Usages & Downstream Business-The Indian Scenario, v.21(3–4), pp.50–56
Bhukte, Pravin, Puttewar, S.P., Daware, G., Agnihotri, A. and Thakre, G.P. (2017) Status of Lateritic Bauxite deposits of India for non-metallurgical applications, Jour. Indian Geol. Congress, v.9(2), pp.71–79.
Dejan Todorovic, Zoran Bartulovic, Vladimir Jovanovic, Branislav Ivoševic (2017). The Bond work index of Limestone and Andesite mixtures. Mining & Metallurgy 23 Engineering Bor’ No. 3–4, pp.21–28
Gábor Mucsi A, Barnabás Csõke A, Károly Solymár (2011). Grindability characteristics of lateritic and karst bauxites. Internat. Jour. Mineral Processing., v.100, pp.96–103.
Gamal, S. and Abdel Haffez (2020) Studying the effect of ore texture on the Bond Work Index at the Mahd Ad Dahab Gold Mine: a case study. Mining-Geology-Petroleum Engineering Bull. UDC: 622.7 doi: https://doi.org/10.17794/rgn.2020.1.9, 111–121
Gamal, S. and Abdel Haffez (2012) Correlation between Bond work index and mechanical properties of some Saudi ores; Jour. Engg. Sci., Assiut University, v.40(1), pp.271–280
Indian Bureau of Mines -IBM (2020). Indian Mineral Yearbook 2019, 58th Edition, Bauxite (Advanced Release) Govt. of India, Ministry of Mines, pp.1–13
JNARDDC (2012). Report on “Bauxite Technical Data Bank - Phase III (Western ghat deposits)”, S & T, MoM, GOI, pp.1–182
JNARDDC (2005). Report on “Compilation of bauxite technical data bank (Gujarat, Jharkhand and Eastern Ghats)”, S & T, MoM, GOI, pp.1–225
Ranjita Swain and Bhima Rao, R. (2009) Alternative Approaches for Determination of Bond Work Index on Soft and Friable Partially Laterised Khondalite Rocks of Bauxite Mine Waste Materials. Jour. Minerals & Materials Characterization & Engineering, v.8(9), pp.729–743
Safonov, A.I., Suss, A.G., Panov, A.V., Luk’yanov, I.V., Kuznetsova, N.V. and Damaskin, A.A. (2009). Effect of process parameters on the grindability and the Bond work index of bauxites and alumina bearing ores, Metallurgist, v.53(1-2).
Sherein Ahmed M.E. Rizk (2020) Dependence of the Bond work index on the filling ratio and test sieve apparatus; Journal of Engineering Sciences Assiut University Faculty of Engineering, v.48(6), pp.1106–1118
USGS (2021). http://www.usgs.gov.in
Acknowledgements
Authors are grateful to Dr Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC for granting permission to publish this paper. Authors respectfully acknowledge Science and Technology Wing, Ministry of Mines, Government of India for sponsoring the research projects. Thank are due to the staff of JNARDDC for carrying out the laboratory work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bhukte, P.G., Daware, G.T., Masurkar, S.P. et al. Effect of Geological, Mineralogical Characteristics on Grindability of Bauxite: A Case Study of Indian Lateritic Bauxite Deposits. J Geol Soc India 99, 55–60 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-023-2266-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-023-2266-4