Bauxite mining

O Canada is a major producer of aluminum by the electrolysis of bauxite. However, there are no bauxite mines in Canada, and all the ore must be imported. Explain why aluminum is produced in Canada. 

No serious adverse effects on respiratory health as determined by self-reported symptoms and spirometry were found in current employees at three bauxite mines in Australia. ... 

Panchpatmali Bauxite Mine NATIONAL ALUMINIUM COMPANY LIMITED Panella Center for Engineering Development CONSOLIDATED CONTAINER COMPANY LLC Panorama Composite Railing CERTAINTEED CORP Panther Creek AMCOL INTERNATIONAL CORP Paper Mate NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC Parker NEWELL RUBBERMAID INC PCI Chemicals Canada Company OLIN CORPORATION... 

In the past, reforestation relied on the establishment of monospecific plantations, often with exotics (e.g.. Eucalyptus, Pinus, Acacia spp.) or a limited number of native tree taxa for which seeds are readily available and silvicultural practices have been developed (Knowles and Parrotta 1995). Also at Porto Trombetas, about 160 native forest species in mixed plantings were evaluated for their suitability for forest restoration on bauxite mine land over a 14-year period. Observations over 600 ha of plantings have yielded information on ecological characteristics of the species and cost-effective propagation methods. The plantations of exotics and natives are expected to catalyze natural forest succession in the understory and thus accelerate the rate at which species-rich native forest stands develop on severely degraded lands. 

Specific chemical exposures and exposure assessment methods relating to studies in the alumina and primary aluminium industry have been reviewed (14). In aluminium smelting, exposure to fluorides, coal tar pitch volatiles, and sulfur dioxide has tended to abate in recent years, but there is insufficient information about other exposures. Published epidemiological studies and quantitative exposure data for bauxite mining and alumina refining are virtually non-existent. Determination of possible exposure-response relations for this part of the industry through improved exposure assessment methods should be the focus of future studies. 

A bauxite mine. Bauxite contains Ai203, the main source of aiuminum. 

Of all the bauxite mined about 95% is converted to alumina. World production of alumina is about 50 Mt/ year. The majority (about 90%) of the alumina is used for the production of aluminum most of the rest goes into nonmetal uses such as specialty aluminas. It is this latter quantity that is of interest to us in ceramics. The primary suppliers of specialty aluminas in the United States are Alcoa, Alcan, Aluchem, LaRoche, and Reynolds. 

Another source is non-bauxitic raw materials such as nepheline Na3K(AlSi04)4 and alunite KAl3(S04)2(0H)6. At the moment 4 major bauxite mines and 2 nepheline sources/mines are in operation in Russia. The AI2O3 content is substantially lower than in bauxite ores and in order to produce 11 of Al, usually 3-41 of bauxite is enough, while 7-8 t of nepheline and alunite are needed. Nevertheless, nepheline ore is a part of apatite-nepheline, nepheline sienite and urtite deposits. It enables complex process with nepheline concentrate used for alumina and apatite concentrate for fertilizers production. Alunite is also complex source, containing alumina, sulfur anhydrite and alkali Na and K metals. Once again, all those elements may be definitely detected and controlled by online LIBS technique. 

Bauxite usually lies near the surface, so it is easy to dig up. This is a bauxite mine in Jamaica. Everything gets coated with red-brown bauxite dust. 

A supply chain as a whole ranges from basic commodities (what is in the ground, sea or air) to selling the final product to the end-customer to recycling the used product. Material flows from a basic commodity (such as a bauxite mine as a source of aluminium ore) to the finished product (such as a can of cola). The can is recycled after use. The analogy to the flow of water in a river is often used to describe organisations near the source as upstream, and those near the end-customer as downstream. We refer to each firm in a supply chain as a partner, because that is what they are. There is a collective as well as an individual role to play in... 

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