116  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)

Beneficiation of Calcareous and Siliceous Bauxite for

the Production of Calcined Bauxite
V.A.J. Aruna*, Mohan Ram**, D.L. Tijare**, S.M. Shende* and C.S. Gundewar**
*Regional Ore Dressing Laboratory, **Indian Bureau of Mines, Nagpur
Indian Bureau of Mines, Ajmer

ABSTRACT: Bench scale beneficiation studies were carried out on calcareous and siliceous bauxite sample
from Jam Nagar, Gujarat with an objective to obtain bauxite concentrate suitable for the production of
calcined bauxite. The process comprises of dump leaching of +10 mm ROM sample with dilute HCl followed
by washing, scrubbing and desliming to reduce both exogenous and endogenous gangue minerals. The
process adopted on calcareous bauxite yielded a +10 mm size concentrate equivalent to the plant feed grade
of calcination plant where as the process adopted on siliceous bauxite yielded a concentrate with little excess
of Fe2O3 and SiO2 which needs to be blended for the utilization. Processing at –10 mesh yielded a concentrate
which could meet the specifications of chemical and petroleum industries. Therefore, –10 mm calcination
plant reject can also be utilized. Thus the low grade bauxite which are available in greater proportion can be
exploited for refractory applications. This paper outlines the studies carried out on a calcareous and a
siliceous bauxite sample to reduce CaO, MgO, Fe2O3, SiO2 and TiO2 to the desired level.

1. INTRODUCTION remaining 2.2 million tons ore is of low grade.

India has vast resources of different types and
quality of aluminous laterites and bauxites. The
total resources of all types of bauxites as per
United Nation’s Framework Classification
(UNFC) in India are 2,926 million tons. In which
about 27% reserves are of metallurgical grade and
54% of metallurgical, mixed grade. The reserves
of refractory and chemical grades are limited and
together accounted for about 11%. (IBM 2004)
The bauxite for value added non-metallurgical
industries must fulfil more rigid compositional
requirements than that used for aluminium
industry. The general chemical specifications for
bauxite required for the production of calcined
bauxite are high alumina content, low silica, low
clay and low alkali and alkaline earth elements.
There is a limited resources of high grade bauxite
(Al2O3 > 57%) in India, however, proper sorting,
beneficiation and quality control can provide this
required raw material bauxite for the production
of calcined bauxite. The bauxite sample under
investigation was from Jam Nagar, Gujarat which
has the bauxite deposit of 3.9 million tons, of
which 1.7 million tons ore is of high grade and the
High grade bauxite assaying +56% Al2O3;
1.4–2.8% Fe2O3; 0.5–1% CaO; 1.5–3%; SiO2;
2.5–3.5% TiO2 and 30–32% LOI is utilized for
the production of calcined bauxite at Jam
Khambhaliya calcination plant. The low grade
bauxite assaying 47–50% Al2O3; +5% Fe2O3;
1.5% CaO; +3% SiO2; +4% TiO2; and 26–29%
LOI is not found suitable for the production of
calcined bauxite and hence is not utilized. (M.K.
Somani et al., 2005) The low grade bauxite
sample is of two types, (i) calcareous bauxite
sample (high CaO ~6.9%) and (ii) siliceous
bauxite sample (high SiO2 ~6.45%). The low
grade bauxite is relatively greater in proportion
compare to high grade bauxite available there. In
order to utilize for the production of calcined
bauxite the low grade bauxite needs to be
beneficiated at –75 +10 mm size. Hence, the
problem was referred to the Ore dressing division
of IBM, Ajmer with the objective of developing
appropriate beneficiation flow-sheet oriented
towards the production of bauxite concentrate
suitable for the production of calcined bauxite.
117  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
2. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Characteristics of the Sample: The calcareous
bauxite under investigation assayed 50.0% Al2O3;
3.6% Fe2O3; 6.91% CaO; 0.50% MgO; 4.2%
SiO2; 2.6% TiO2; and 31.80% LOI. The sample
mainly consists of gibbsite with subordinate
amounts of cliachite and calcite. Iron oxides
(limonite, magnetite), clay, rutile/anatase and
quartz are present in minor to trace amount. The
siliceous bauxite under investigation assayed
53.1% Al2O3; 3.6% Fe2O3; 3.6% CaO; 0.45%
MgO; 6.45% SiO2; 2.1% TiO2 and 30.3% LOI.
The sample mainly consists of gibbsite and
cliachite with subordinate amounts of clay. Iron
oxide (limonite, magnetite), calcite, rutile/anatase
and quartz are present in minor to trace amount.
In both samples gibbsite and cliachite occur as
cryptocrystalline aggregates finely intermixed
with clay, calcite, iron oxides and quartz. Most of
the gibbsite, cliachite aggregates are coated with
ferruginous materials. Clay and calcite occur as
cryptocrystalline aggregates intermixed with
gibbsite, cliachite. Iron oxides and calcite are
cryptocrystalline aggregates in nature and are
mostly present as intermixed with bauxite mineral
and clay. It is also seen as coating on the
groundmass of the gibbsite and cliachite, calcite
and quartz.
2.1 Beneficiation at +10 mm Size to
Obtain Bauxite Concentrate for the
Production of Calcined Bauxite
Dump leaching washing scrubbing and screen-
ing: Simple beneficiation methods like scrubbing,
washing and wet screening at +10 mm size could
not reduce CaO, MgO and Fe2O3 to the desired
level. Hence, feasibility of dump leaching with
dilute hydrochloric acid followed by washing
scrubbing and desliming was investigated to reduce
both exogenous and endogenous gangue minerals
and to upgrade bauxite to the possible extent at
+10 mm size. (S.M. Shende et al., 2004 and 2005)
Calcareous bauxite: The –30 +10 mm fractions
obtained by wet scrubbing and screening were
subjected to dump leaching with 1 : 3 HCl : H2O
(vol/vol) equivalent to 11.66% by weight of HCl
for 48 h, followed by siphoning the acid,
scrubbing, washing and desliming which yielded
a bauxite concentrate assaying 59.07% Al2O3;
2.63% Fe2O3; 0.51% CaO; 0.37% MgO; 1.77%
SiO2; 2.49% TiO2; and 32.66% LOI with a wt. %
yield of 34.7% and Al2O3 recovery of 41.3%.
Siliceous bauxite: The –75 +10 mm fractions
obtained by wet scrubbing and screening were
subjected to dump leaching under the conditions
mentioned for calcareous bauxite yielded a
bauxite concentrate assaying 57.43% Al2O3;
3.35% Fe2O3; 1.10% CaO; 0.21% MgO; 4.43%
SiO2; 2.02% TiO2 and 31.24% LOI with a wt.%
yield of 67.3% and Al2O3 recovery of 72.8%.
The various products obtained by the
beneficiation of calcareous and siliceous bauxite
sample at +10 mm and the metallurgical results
are presented in Table 1.
2.2 Beneficiation at –10 mm Size for the
Utilization of Chemical and
Petroleum Industries
Calcareous Bauxite: After scrubbing and hand
sorting the –10 mm product was dump leached
with 1 : 3 HCl : H2O (vol/vol) for 48 hrs, acid
siphoned, scrubbed washed and deslimed to
produce a concentrate assaying 61.18% Al2O3;
1.81% Fe2O3; 1.05% CaO; 0.19% MgO; 1.65%
SiO2; 2.04% TiO2; 31.73% LOI with a wt.% yield
of 46.5% and Al2O3 recovery of 57.0%. The
leached concentrate (of –10 mm size) was stage
crushed to –10 mesh and subjected to magnetic
separation at 13 Kilo Gauss to obtain a
concentrate at –10 +40 mesh assaying 61.23%
Al2O3; 1.75% Fe2O3; 1.05% CaO; 0.19% MgO;
1.64% SiO2; 2.04% TiO2; and 31.78% LOI with a
wt.% yield of 46.4% and Al2O3 recovery of
56.9%. The various products obtained and the
metallurgical results are presented in Table 2.
Siliceous Bauxite: After scrubbing and hand
sorting the –10 mm +40 mesh product was dump
leached with 1:3 HCl: H2O (vol/vol) equivalent to
11.66% by weight of HCl for 48 hrs, acid
siphoned, scrubbed washed and deslimed to
produce a concentrate assaying 61.26% Al2O3;
2.30% Fe2O3; 0.71% CaO; 0.26% MgO; 2.64%
SiO2; 1.83% TiO2; 31.43% LOI with a wt.% yield
of 54% and Al2O3 recovery of 61.8%. The
leached concentrate (of –10 mm size) was stage
Beneficiation of Calcareous and Siliceous Bauxite for the Production of Calcined Bauxite 118
crushed to –10 mesh and subjected to magnetic 2.57% SiO2; 1.84% TiO2, 31.62% LOI with a
separation at 13 Kilo Gauss to obtain a wt.% yield of 53.4% and Al2O3 recovery of
concentrate at –10 +40 mesh assaying 61.84% 61.6%. The various products obtained and the
Al2O3; 1.84% Fe2O3; 0.71% CaO; 0.26% MgO; metallurgical results are presented in Table 3.

Table 1: Beneficiation of calcareous and siliceous bauxite sample at +10 mm

Calcareous Wt% Assay% (Distribution%)
Bauxite
Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SiO2 TiO2 LOI
Products
–10 mm 41.2 49.52 3.50 6.41 0.39 4.66 2.34 31.06
(41.2) (40.0) (38.2) (34.9) (46.1) (41.8) (40.5)
Slimes-1 11.0 47.01 3.49 8.74 0.41 8.32 2.58 31.44
(10.4) (10.6) (13.9) (9.9) (22.0) (12.3) (10.9)
Slimes-2 7.0 50.17 5.35 1.1 0.17 10.2 2.78 29.21
(7.1) (10.4) (1.1) (2.6) (17.1) (8.4) (6.5)
LOL 6.1 – 8.07 50.07 1.86 – – 32.48
(13.7) (44.2) (24.7) (6.2)
+10 mm Conc. 34.7 59.07 2.63 0.51 0.37 1.77 2.49 32.66
(41.3) (25.3) (2.6) (27.9) (14.8) (37.5) (35.9)
Head(Calc) 100.0 49.58 3.60 6.91 0.46 4.17 2.30 31.62
(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)

Sileceous Assay% (Distribution%)

Bauxite Wt%
Products Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SiO2 TiO2 LOI
–10 mm 11.3 54.61 3.42 3.16 0.32 5.83 1.82 30.09
(11.6) (10.9) (9.8) (8.8) (10.6) (10.4) (11.2)
Slimes-1 8.8 48.29 4.96 5.51 0.50 11.14 2.18 27.82
(8.1) (12.2) (13.3) (10.6) (15.8) (9.7) (8.1)
Slimes-2 8.6 46.07 4.89 1.43 0.61 18.66 3.80 25.16
(7.5) (11.7) (3.4) (12.9) (25.7) (11.3) (7.2)
LOL (Cal) 4.0 – 0.57 48.51 3.37 – – 30.99
(1.9) (53.2) (32.9) (4.1)
+10 mm Conc. 67.3 57.43 3.35 1.10 0.21 4.43 2.02 31.24
(72.8) (63.3) (20.3) (34.8) (47.9) (68.6) (69.4)
Head(Calc) 100.0 53.03 3.52 3.65 0.41 6.23 1.98 30.28
(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)
Slimes-1: Scrubbed deslimed slimes; Slimes-2: Slimes after leaching; LOL = Loss on leaching

Table 2: ROM calcareous bauxite scrubbed-sorted-stage crushed to –10 mm -dump

leached—scrubbed-deslimed-stage crushed to –10 mesh and dry magnetic separation
Assay% (Distribution %)
Products Wt.% Fe2O
Al2O3 CaO MgO SiO2 TiO2 LOI
3

red fraction – 5.7 44.11 5.00 11.02 0.47 5.08 2.61 31.05
sorted @ –30 mm (5.0) (7.9) (9.1) (5.3) (6.9) (6.6) (5.6)
28.9 0.80
31.61 4.09 9.43 7.76 2.89 29.47
Scrubbed Slimes (46.4
(25.9) (32.8) (39.5) (53.2) (36.8) (26.8)
)
dump leached @ –10 mm washed-screened@ 11.0 54.60 3.77 0.43 0.10 8.35 3.06 29.24
40 # (12.0) (11.5) (0.7) (2.2) (21.8) (14.8) (10.1)
7.9 11.09 38.13 1.82 44.86
Loss on leaching (calc) – – –
(24.3) (43.7) (28.8) (11.1)
0.1 40.65 28.76 – 0.35 4.41 1.71 –
–10 mm leached product crushed to –10# Mag.
(0.1) (0.8) (0.1) (0.1) (0.1)
–10 mm leached product crushed to –10# Non- 61.23 1.75 1.05 0.19 1.64 2.04 31.78
46.4
Mag. (57.0) (22.7) (7.0) (17.2) (18.0) (41.7) (46.4)
Head (calc.) 100.0 49.91 3.60 6.90 0.50 4.22 2.27 31.80
119  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
Table 3: ROM siliceous bauxite scrubbed-sorted-stage crushed to –10 mm -dump
leached—scrubbed-deslimed- stage crushed to –10 mesh and dry magnetic separation
Assay% (Distribution %)
Products Wt.%
Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SiO2 TiO2 LOI
Red fraction sorted @ –30 50.73 8.06 3.38 0.51 6.58 1.89 28.25
1.6
mm (1.5) (3.6) (1.5) (1.6) (1.8) (1.5) (1.5)
46.36 5.38 5.64 0.50 12.33 2.65 26.57
Scrubbed Slimes 22.8
(19.8) (34.0) (35.7) (22.8) (46.9) (29.3) (20.0)
Dump leached @ –10 mm 16.8 54.05 3.91 0.56 0.40 9.79 2.63 28.01
washed-screened @ 40 # (17.0) (18.3) (2.6) (13.5) (27.5) (21.4) (15.5)
4.8 – 7.1 37.11 3.53 – – 43.97
Loss on leaching (calc)
(9.5) (49.5) (33.9) (7.0)
–10 mm leached product 26.79 43.46 0.46 0.32 8.69 1.0 14.39
0.6
crushed to –10# Mag. (0.1) (7.2) (0.1) (0.4) (0.9) (0.2) (0.2)
–10 mm leached –10# Non- 53.4 61.84 1.84 0.71 0.26 2.57 1.84 31.62
Mag. (61.6) (27.4) (10.6) (27.8) (22.9) (47.6) (55.8)
100.0 53.54 3.60 3.60 0.50 5.98 2.06 30.30
Head (calc.)
(100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0)
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS fast and effective over heap leaching. The SiO2
values of calcareous bauxite was reduced from
The Al2O3 grade of calcareous bauxite sample 4.2% to 1.77% at +10 mm size by scrubbing and
was upgraded to 59.07% with Al2O3 recovery of desliming. It was reduced to 1.6% by multi stage
41.4% and wt% yield of 34.7% at –30 +10 mm grinding and desliming at –10 mesh. The SiO2
size. The Al2O3 grade of siliceous bauxite sample values of siliceous bauxite was reduced from
was upgraded to 57.43% with Al2O3 recovery of 6.45% to 4.43% at +10 mm size by scrubbing and
72.8% and wt% yield of 67.3% at –50 +10 mm desliming. It was reduced to 2.57% by multi stage
size. The ROM sample of calcareous bauxite was grinding and desliming at –10 mesh. The process
processed by stage grinding to –10 mm, dump involving multistage grinding and multiple
leaching, desliming and magnetic separation at desliming yielded bauxite concentrate with
–10 mesh and upgraded to 61.23% with Al2O3 minimum SiO2 whereas bauxite concentrate
recovery of 57% and wt.% yield of 46.4% at –10 obtained by column/heap leaching process of
mesh. Similarly, the siliceous bauxite was +10 mm size ROM sample which involves
processed and upgraded to 61.84% with Al2O3 leaching and washing could not reduce SiO2 to the
recovery of 61.6% and wt.% yield of 53.4% at desired level. The TiO2 values of calcareous
–10 mesh. The Fe2O3 values of calcareous bauxite bauxite was only marginally reduced from 2.6 to
was reduced to 2.63% at +10 mm size and 1.75% 2.49% at +10 mm size. It was reduced to 2.04%
at –10 mesh. The Fe2O3 values of siliceous at –10 mesh size. The TiO2 values of siliceous
bauxite was reduced to 3.35% at +10 mm size bauxite was only marginally reduced from 2.1 to
and 1.84% at –10 mesh. The CaO values of 2.02% at +10 mm size. It was reduced to 1.84%
calcareous bauxite was reduced from 6.91% to at –10 mesh size. This suggests that TiO2 bearing
0.51% and MgO values from 0.5 to 0.37% by mineral is liberated at fine size which is removed
dump leaching at –30 +10 mm size. The CaO by scrubbing and desliming as denoted by the
values of siliceous bauxite was reduced from greater distribution of TiO2 in slimes fraction
3.6% to 1.1% and MgO values from 0.45 to obtained before and after leaching. The TiO2
0.21% by dump leaching at –50 +10 mm size. In values are not getting enriched in magnetic
order to reduce CaO, MgO and Fe2O3 values at fraction which suggests that the TiO2 bearing
+10 mm size as well as at –10 mesh size dilute mineral is nonmagnetic.
HCl was found to be an effective leachant over
dilute acetic acid, because of its leaching of CaO,
MgO and Fe2O3 bearing gangue minerals and cost 4. CONCLUSIONS
considerations. Dump leaching was found to be
Beneficiation of Calcareous and Siliceous Bauxite for the Production of Calcined Bauxite
The calcareous bauxite is amenable for
beneficiation to meet the calcination plant feed
grade at +10 mm size for the production of
calcined bauxite. The siliceous bauxite is
amenable for beneficiation to meet the calcination
plant feed grade at +10 mm size for the
production of calcined bauxite except Fe2O3 and
SiO2. The little excess can be adjusted by
blending. The calcareous and siliceous bauxite
can be beneficiated at –10 mesh size to meet the
specifications of chemical and petroleum
industries. Therefore, the –10 mm calcination
plant reject can also be beneficiated at fine size
and utilized. Thus the low grade bauxite which
are available in greater proportion in Jam Nagar
Bauxite mines can be beneficiated and exploited
for refractory, chemical and petroleum industry
applications.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
120
The authors are thankful to Controller General,
IBM for his keen interest in this work and also for
granting permission to present this paper. Our
thanks are due to Mr H.K. Jain, AODO, IBM for
mineralogical studies. The analytical support of
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Chemist, IBM and Dr. A.K.
Solanki, Chemist IBM and their teams are highly
acknowledged.
REFERENCES
[1] Indian Minerals Year Book, Indian Bureau of
Mines, Nagpur, 2004.
[2] Somani, M.K., Kanihaiyalal and Bhargava, S., A
report on special study of bauxite mines of
Jamnagar Dt., of Gujarat, 2005, IBM, Nagpur.
[3] Shende, S.M., et. al, Indian Bureau of Mines,
Ajmer, Report of Investigation No. 350,
December 2004, and Report of Investigation No.
352, January 2005, (unpubl).