Jan. 24, 2011 - In the past two years, Bauxite Resources Limited (BRL) has made extensive investigation and experimentation of available processes to produce alumina. The investigation has been a prelude to technology decisions for a new alumina refinery to be built in south-west WA. At the conclusion of these investigations BRL with its partner Yankuang Resources Pty Ltd will choose the alkali-based Bayer process as appropriate for their proposal.
In its research however BRL has developed and filed a Patent Application for an acid based process for treating an ore or related material containing aluminium-bearing materials. The application covers a confidential acidic process that solubilises minerals and then selectively recovers aluminium and other metal species by means of precipitation or solvent extraction. The end product is aluminium oxide (alumina) and other metal oxides. The results demonstrate that acid extractable alumina can be higher than from alkali extractions and that extraction is independent of reactive silica content.
In its research however BRL has developed and filed a Patent Application for an acid based process for treating an ore or related material containing aluminium-bearing materials. The application covers a confidential acidic process that solubilises minerals and then selectively recovers aluminium and other metal species by means of precipitation or solvent extraction. The end product is aluminium oxide (alumina) and other metal oxides. The results demonstrate that acid extractable alumina can be higher than from alkali extractions and that extraction is independent of reactive silica content.
