IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i23p16232-d1286218.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Leaching Study of Guinean Bauxite Tailings in aqueous HCl Solution for the Extraction of Aluminum

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Bagani

    (School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece)

  • Dimitrios Kotsanis

    (School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece)

  • Michalis Vafeias

    (School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece)

  • Anastasia Pilichou

    (School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece)

  • Efthymios Balomenos

    (Mytilineos SA-Metallurgy Business Unit, Alumina and AluminumPlant, St. Nikolas, 32003 Paralia Distomou, Greece)

  • Dimitrios Panias

    (School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Primary aluminum production is dependent on the Bayer process for Al 2 O 3 refining and the Hall–Héroult process for Al production. Both these processes face serious sustainability challenges, while the overall Al supply chain is inflexible and prone to disruptions. One solution to the aforementioned challenges is the adoption of alternative Al 2 O 3 production processes from a variety of primary and secondary raw materials. This research paper explores the potential use of bauxite tailings as an alternative secondary resource for alumina production, with an aqueous HCl process technology. Bauxite tailings are solid waste produced during the mining and beneficiation of certain bauxites before their digestion in the Bayer process. The research was conducted in two stages. Initially, 24 h trials using aqueous 5.9 M HCl solution and a 5:100 g/mL solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratio revealed complete dissolution of Al and near-complete dissolution of Fe. In the second stage, investigations involving higher S/L ratios under the same conditions confirmed that an S/L ratio of 20:100 g/mL represented the optimal parameters for bauxite tailings leaching, producing a 36.8 g/L Al and 25.2 g/L Fe concentration solutions. The PLS produced under the optimum conditions is suitable for downstream processing for the production of AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Bagani & Dimitrios Kotsanis & Michalis Vafeias & Anastasia Pilichou & Efthymios Balomenos & Dimitrios Panias, 2023. "Leaching Study of Guinean Bauxite Tailings in aqueous HCl Solution for the Extraction of Aluminum," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16232-:d:1286218
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16232/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16232/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sverdrup, Harald U. & Ragnarsdottir, Kristin Vala & Koca, Deniz, 2015. "Aluminium for the future: Modelling the global production, market supply, demand, price and long term development of the global reserves," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 139-154.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Masoud Khakdaman & Wout Dullaert & Dirk Inghels & Marieke van Keeken & Pascal Wissink, 2024. "A System Dynamics Supply Chain Analysis for the Sustainability Transition of European Rolled Aluminum Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-27, October.
    2. Karan Bhuwalka & Randolph E. Kirchain & Elsa A. Olivetti & Richard Roth, 2023. "Quantifying the drivers of long‐term prices in materials supply chains," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(1), pages 141-154, February.
    3. Esangbedo, Moses Olabhele & Taiwo, Blessing Olamide & Abbas, Hawraa H. & Hosseini, Shahab & Sazid, Mohammed & Fissha, Yewuhalashet, 2024. "Enhancing the exploitation of natural resources for green energy: An application of LSTM-based meta-model for aluminum prices forecasting," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Tomer Fishman & Rupert J. Myers & Orlando Rios & T.E. Graedel, 2018. "Implications of Emerging Vehicle Technologies on Rare Earth Supply and Demand in the United States," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Chen, Wu & Wang, Minxi & Li, Xin, 2016. "Analysis of copper flows in the United States: 1975–2012," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 67-76.
    6. David Christian Finger & Gudrun Saevarsdottir & Halldór Guðfinnur Svavarsson & Bryndís Björnsdóttir & Sigurjón Arason & Lea Böhme, 2021. "Improved Value Generation from Residual Resources in Iceland: the First Step Towards a Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 525-543, September.
    7. Calvo, Guiomar & Valero, Alicia & Valero, Antonio, 2017. "Assessing maximum production peak and resource availability of non-fuel mineral resources: Analyzing the influence of extractable global resources," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 208-217.
    8. Shen, Angxing & Zhang, Jihong, 2024. "Technologies for CO2 emission reduction and low-carbon development in primary aluminum industry in China: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    9. Abbas, Shujaat & Sinha, Avik & Saha, Tanaya & Shah, Muhammad Ibrahim, 2023. "Response of mineral market to renewable energy production in the USA: Where lies the sustainable energy future," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    10. Nathália C. G. Silveira & Maysa L. F. Martins & Augusto C. S. Bezerra & Fernando G. S. Araújo, 2021. "Red Mud from the Aluminium Industry: Production, Characteristics, and Alternative Applications in Construction Materials—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-21, November.
    11. Mehmanpazir, Farhad & Khalili-Damghani, Kaveh & Hafezalkotob, Ashkan, 2022. "Dynamic strategic planning: A hybrid approach based on logarithmic regression, system dynamics, Game Theory and Fuzzy Inference System (Case study Steel Industry)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Niero, Monia & Olsen, Stig Irving, 2016. "Circular economy: To be or not to be in a closed product loop? A Life Cycle Assessment of aluminium cans with inclusion of alloying elements," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 18-31.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16232-:d:1286218. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.