Successes and Challenges in the Use of Bauxite Residue

In spite of over a century of effort looking for uses, over 1200 patents and hundreds of technically succcessful trials, less than 4 million tonnes of the 140 million tonnes of bauxite residue produced annually is used in a productive way.  A large proportion of material that is used, is in China and driven by government pressure.  This paper reviews the barriers and why the technical successes do not always translate into large scale uses.  The most successful large scale uses are then discussed and include cement production, raw material for iron and steel manufacture, manufacture of building materials, landfill capping, road construction and soil amelioration