• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2023

Bauxite residues represent industrial wastes that have been accumulating over the past 120 years since the beginning of the alumina industry. They are typically classified as harmful substances owing to their strong alkalinity and salinity characteristics. These residues, with quantities steadily increasing by more than 150 million tons annually worldwide, are recycled into various industrial materials using dealkalization processing. This study investigates the generation process of alkaline substances in bauxite smelting and the recent techniques adopted for controlling their alkalinity. The properties of bauxite residues are known to vary depending on the raw mining and digestion methods. Thus, the dealkalization process must be selected considering the type of alkaline material, local environment, and infrastructure.