| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Aluminum Waste Management and Utilization
|
| Presentation Title |
Current Status and Proposed Economic Incentives for Higher Utilization of Bauxite Residue to Enhance Sustainability of the Aluminum Industry |
| Author(s) |
Subodh K. Das, Muntasir Shahabuddin |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Subodh K. Das |
| Abstract Scope |
The three-stage aluminum production chain from ore to casting is complex and consumes large amounts of energy and input materials. The process also results in undesirable by-products, such as bauxite tailings and bauxite residues or red mud.
From a holistic perspective, the overall sustainability of the aluminum industry is dependent on several factors that go beyond the recent focus on the low carbon drive across the companies and regions.
Globally, some 3 billion tons of bauxite residue (red mud) are now stored in massive waste ponds or dried mounds, making it one of the most abundant industrial wastes on the planet. Alumina refining plants generate an additional 150 million tons each year. The industry produces 0.5-2 tons of bauxite residue per ton of aluminum. Although actively globally pursued, the current utilization of bauxite residues is less than 4%. In the author’s published analysis, mitigation and utilization of bauxite residue are the number one sustainability-enhancing factor.
The objectives of this paper are:
1. Review of bauxite residue utilization status
2. Assess the feasibility and prospects of current efforts underway
3. Suggest economic incentives to encourage higher utilization |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: Light Metals |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Sustainability, Recycling and Secondary Recovery |