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Fractionation and mobility of metals in bauxite red mud

  • Mining and the Environment - Understanding Processes, Assessing Impacts and Developing Remediation
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Abstract

Red mud (RM) is a strongly alkaline residue generated in enormous amounts worldwide from bauxite refining using the Bayer chemical process. RM is composed mainly of Fe, Ti and Al oxides and hydroxides, but it also contains an array of trace metals and metalloids at different concentrations. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential mobility of metals in RM, with special emphasis on pH effect. The ‘operational’ distribution and leachability of metals within/from RM was studied by applying a sequential extraction procedure (SEP) and several leaching tests (rapid titration, equilibration acidification, batch leaching with acetic acid and also the toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP) and the DIN 38414-S4 procedures, used as reference methods) carried out at different pH, solid/liquid ratio, extraction period and type of acid (HCl or acetic acid). Chemical analysis showed that, in addition to the major metals Fe, Al and Ti, RM contains several trace metals, some of them (Cr, Cu and Ni) in concentrations exceeding the regulatory limits. SEP showed that a majority of the metals in the RM (between the 32.2 ± 8.5 for Cd and 95.3 ± 0.4 % for Ni) were found in the residual fraction, suggesting that they are not readily mobile under normal environmental conditions. Leaching tests performed at different pH showed that a significant fraction of the metals is mobilised from RM only under very strong acid conditions (pH < 2), whereas Al is released in considerable amounts at pH < 5.3. Among the trace metals, Cr requires special attention because of its relative high concentration in RM and the higher concentrations of this metal mobilised at low pH. The leaching tests using acetic acid showed that the standard TCLP largely underestimates the release of trace metals from RM, and therefore it is not advisable to evaluate the actual potential leaching of trace metals from this residue.

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  1. Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    David A. Rubinos & María Teresa Barral

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  1. David A. Rubinos
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  2. María Teresa Barral
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Correspondence to David A. Rubinos.

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Rubinos, D.A., Barral, M.T. Fractionation and mobility of metals in bauxite red mud. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 7787–7802 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1477-4

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