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Bauxite: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Potential Industrial Application

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A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Clays and Engineered Mineral Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 6130

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Editors

Dr. Leonardo Boiadeiro Ayres Negrão

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Guest Editor

Malvern Panalytical, Malvern WR14 1XZ, UK
Interests: applied mineralogy; industrial minerals; geology; geochemistry

Dr. Roberto Buccione

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Guest Editor

Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: geochemistry; trace elements; mineralogy; rare earth elements; ore deposits; karst bauxites
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bauxite is the main ore of alumina used to produce aluminum, and it is employed in diverse industrial applications depending on its grade. Bauxite’s grades are controlled by its chemistry, mineralogy, textural and structural aspects, and at least three main types of bauxite are known: lateritic, karstic and Tikhvin. The geochemistry of bauxites is also important as it can aid in the prediction of environmental issues related to mining. Therefore, bauxite's geochemical and mineral composition are critical for understanding its economic significance, guiding industrial processes, evaluating its environmental impact, and elucidating past geological processes.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of articles that highlight innovative scientific approaches to the characterization of bauxite and that present discussions of its mineralogical, geochemical, textural and structural properties; this is in order to enhance the efficiency of bauxite processing and refinement, as well as encourage the application of sustainable and novel practices for bauxite recovery and the re-utilization of bauxite residues. Finally, the potential industrial applications of bauxite and its residues beyond alumina and aluminum production will be explored, including applications in the cement, chemical and refractory industry.

This Special Issue aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of the chemical and mineralogical composition of different types of bauxite, promoting further research regarding its industrial use while addressing environmental considerations related to its extraction and processing.

Dr. Leonardo Boiadeiro Ayres Negrão
Dr. Roberto Buccione
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

bauxite's
redmud
laterite
supergenic
weathering
alumina

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Research

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38 pages, 40298 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mineralogical and Geochemical Variability of the Mamutovac-1a Upper Eocene Karst Bauxite Deposit (Croatian Dinarides) and Its CRM Potential

by Erli Kovačević Galović, Nikolina Ilijanić, Hana Fajković, Slobodan Miko, Nenad Tomašić, Ivona Ivkić Filipović, Nikola Gizdavec, Zoran Peh and Dominik Teskera

Minerals 2026, 16(5), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16050547 - 19 May 2026

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Abstract

Karst bauxites represent important archives of paleoenvironmental conditions and potential sources of REE and other critical raw materials (CRMs). This study presents a multiproxy investigation of the Upper Eocene Mamutovac-1a bauxite deposit (Croatian Dinarides), integrating petrography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetic susceptibility, whole-rock geochemistry, and aqua regia extractions along a 25.1 m drill core. The deposit shows clear vertical variability defined by four facies-based zones, accompanied by systematic mineralogical and geochemical changes. The bauxite is dominated by böhmite, gibbsite, hematite, and anatase, with subordinate goethite and clay minerals. ΣREE concentrations range from 276 to 670 mg/kg and increase toward the deeper zones, with consistent LREE enrichment relative to HREE, negative Eu anomalies, and variable Ce anomalies. Correlations suggest that REE are likely associated with phosphate phases, with a possible secondary contribution from clay minerals. The integrated dataset indicates a polygenetic, multi-stage evolution involving both in situ bauxitization and episodic reworking and redeposition, controlled by variable redox conditions and fluid–rock interaction. Geochemical signatures suggest a mixed provenance with contributions from intermediate to ultramafic sources. The elevated concentrations and enhanced extractability of selected elements (La, Sc, Ga, V) indicate that the deposit may represent a potential secondary source of CRMs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bauxite: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Potential Industrial Application)

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17 pages, 91562 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mineralogy and Critical Metal Distribution in Upper Carboniferous Aluminum-Bearing Strata from the Yangquan Mining Area, Northeastern Qinshui Basin: Insights from TIMA

by Ning Wang, Yingxia Xu, Jun Zhao, Shangqing Zhang, Zhiyi Liu and Menghuai Hou

Minerals 2025, 15(10), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15101069 - 12 Oct 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1030

Abstract

Critical metals associated with aluminum-bearing strata have garnered increasing attention due to their considerable economic potential. Recent investigations have identified notable enrichment of Li, Ga, Zr, Nb, REEs (rare earth elements), etc., within the Upper Carboniferous Benxi Formation in the Yangquan mining area, the Northeastern Qinshui Basin, Northern China. However, their mineralogical characteristics and micro-scale modes of occurrence remain insufficiently constrained. In this study, we employed the TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA) in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and clay-separation experiments to provide direct mineralogical evidence for the occurrence of Ti, Li, Ga, Zr, and REEs in claystone and aluminous claystone from the Benxi Formation, Yangquan mining area, Northeastern Qinshui Basin. Our results indicate that both lithologies are primarily composed of kaolinite and diaspore, with minor amounts of anatase and cookeite; illite is additionally present in the claystone. Titanium predominantly occurs as anatase in both lithologies, though a portion in aluminous claystone may be incorporated into kaolinite and other Ti-bearing minerals such as rutile and leucoxene. Lithium is primarily hosted by cookeite in both rock types. Mineral assemblage variations further suggest that kaolinite may have partially transformed into Li-rich chlorite (i.e., cookeite) during the transformation from aluminous claystone to claystone. Gallium is chiefly associated with diaspore and kaolinite, with a stronger correlation with diaspore in the aluminous claystone. Zircon is the sole carrier of Zr in both lithologies. Importantly, La and Ce show a consistent spatial association with O–Al–Si–Ti–P mixed aggregates in TIMA maps, particularly in aluminous claystone. Based on these spatial patterns, textural relationships, and comparisons with previous studies, phosphate minerals are inferred to be the dominant REE hosts, although minor contributions from other phases cannot be completely excluded. These findings highlight a previously underexplored mode of critical-metal enrichment in Northern Chinese bauxite-bearing strata and provide a mineralogical basis for future extraction and utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bauxite: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Potential Industrial Application)

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25 pages, 46515 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Parental Affinities and Environments of Bauxite Genesis in the Salt Range, Northwestern Himalayas, Pakistan

by Muhammad Khubab, Michael Wagreich, Andrea Mindszenty, Shahid Iqbal, Katerina Schöpfer and Matee Ullah

Minerals 2025, 15(9), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15090993 - 19 Sep 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1847

Abstract

As the residual products of severe chemical weathering, bauxite deposits serve both as essential economic Al-Fe resources and geochemical archives that reveal information about the parent rocks’ composition, paleoenvironments and paleoclimates, and the tectonic settings responsible for their genesis. The well-developed Early Paleocene bauxite deposits of the Salt Range, Pakistan, provide an opportunity for deciphering their ore genesis and parental affinities. The deposits occur as lenticular bodies and are typically composed of three consecutive stratigraphic facies from base to top: (1) massive dark-red facies (L-1), (2) composite conglomeratic–pisolitic facies (L-2), and (3) Kaolinite-rich clayey facies (L-3). Results from optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and scanning electron microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) reveal that facies L-1 contains kaolinite, hematite, and goethite as major minerals, with minor amounts of muscovite, quartz, anatase, and rutile. In contrast, facies L-2 primarily consists of kaolinite, boehmite, hematite, gibbsite, goethite, alunite/natroalunite, and zaherite, with anatase, rutile, and quartz as minor constituents. L-3 is dominated by kaolinite, quartz, and anatase, while hematite and goethite exist in minor concentrations. Geochemical analysis reveals elevated concentrations of

{Al}_{2}

O_{3}

{Fe}_{2}

O_{3}

{SiO}_{2}

, and

{TiO}_{2}

. Trace elements, including Th, U, Ga, Y, Zr, Nb, Hf, V, and Cr, exhibit a positive trend across all sections when normalized to Upper Continental Crust (UCC) values. Field observations and analytical data suggest a polygenetic origin of these deposits. L-1 suggests in situ lateritization of some sort of precursor materials, with enrichment in stable and ultra-stable heavy minerals such as zircon, tourmaline, rutile, and monazite. This facies is mineralogically mature with bauxitic components, but lacks the typical bauxitic textures. In contrast, L-2 is texturally and mineralogically mature, characterized by various-sized pisoids and ooids within a microgranular-to-microclastic matrix. The L-3 mineralogy and texture suggest that the conditions were still favorable for bauxite formation. However, the ongoing tectonic activities and wet–dry climate cycles post-depositionally disrupted the bauxitization process. The accumulation of highly stable detrital minerals, such as zircon, rutile, tourmaline, and monazite, indicates prolonged weathering and multiple cycles of sedimentary reworking. These deposits have parental affinity with acidic-to-intermediate/-argillaceous rocks, resulting from the weathering of sediments derived from UCC sources, including cratonic sandstone and shale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bauxite: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Potential Industrial Application)

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Review

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24 pages, 2083 KB

Open AccessReview

Geotechnical Behaviour of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): A Review of Global Parameter Variability and Chemical–Mechanical Interactions

by Jessica Pereira Duarte and Andy Fourie

Minerals 2026, 16(8), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16080787 - 28 Jul 2026

Viewed by 378

Abstract

Bauxite residue (red mud) is a highly alkaline byproduct of the alumina refining process generated in large volumes worldwide. Most alumina operations currently rely on long-term storage facilities due to the high costs and technical constraints of residue reuse technologies. Therefore, understanding the mechanical behaviour of bauxite residue is critical to minimising environmental contamination risks, preventing structural failures, and ensuring the long-term stability of storage facilities. However, obtaining reliable geotechnical parameters is challenging due to the residue’s complex composition and chemical characteristics, particularly given the current fragmented state of the literature. This review compiles an extensive database of bauxite residue parameters across alumina operations worldwide, synthesising existing knowledge and research needs. The database encompasses 940 data points extracted from 63 studies across 25 countries. The findings reveal considerable variability in parameter values across countries, potentially exacerbated by inconsistencies in experimental methodologies. Few studies have integrated geochemical conditions, such as pH and salinity, with geomechanical behaviour, thereby limiting understanding of the mechanisms that govern key parameters, including strength and deformability. Enhancing the predictability of bauxite residue behaviour requires the development of standardised experimental protocols that explicitly account for the coupled effects of chemistry and mechanics to support reliable risk assessments of storage facilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bauxite: Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Potential Industrial Application)

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