Mechanisms of Neutralization of Bauxite Residue by Carbon Dioxide
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 6
Abstract
Bauxite residue (red mud), an alkaline slurry from alumina refining, is produced in large volumes and disposed of in large surface impoundments. The objectives of this study were to measure the extent of neutralization of bauxite residue by carbon dioxide as a function of partial pressure and to determine the geochemical reactions responsible for carbon sequestration. Bauxite residue was exposed to carbon dioxide at partial pressures ranging from and the residue pore-water pH was measured until a steady state pH was achieved. Using pure , a steady state pH of 7.7 was established in while it took to reach a pH of 9.8 at . The pH rebounded to 9.9 after when bauxite residue first neutralized at of 1, 0.1, or for was subsequently exposed to , indicating that the pH change during short-term carbonation was due to reactions of carbonic acid and in the pore water. A longer reaction time at indicated carbonation of tricalcium aluminate (C3A solid) and conversion to calcite. This was confirmed in aged field samples that had been carbonated in air for . The maximum solid-phase sequestration (as calcite) potential of red mud can be realized at ; however, the sequestration rate is limited by slow dissolution of C3A. The sequestration potential is small (0.029–0.057 MMT ) compared to annual emissions for bauxite refining and red mud production of .
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Acknowledgments
This project was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSFBES-0329424) and by Alcoa, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. The writers thank Jaw Fu, John Smith, Dennis Fulmer, and Keith Schmidt of Alcoa for providing samples, data, and information about bauxite residue.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 135 • Issue 6 • June 2009
Pages: 433 - 438
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 12, 2008
Accepted: Nov 10, 2008
Published online: Apr 3, 2009
Published in print: Jun 2009
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