Al2O3 Extraction From Tailings-Containing Aluminosilicates by Pre-leaching Roasting Process-A Review

The tailings of some mines contain large amounts of aluminosilicate. The high volume of these tailings and problems with storage and disposal of them have created a motive to process and produce alumina from them. Several methods have been proposed for the extraction of alumina or some of the metals present in these tailings. One of the effective methods is to use a combination of roasting and leaching processes. Aluminosilicates in tailings are sometimes insoluble or difficult to dissolve in acidic solutions, which prevents the separation of aluminum and the extraction of other metals enclosed in aluminosilicate by hydrometallurgy. To solve this problem, the method of roasting with the help of salts or roasting in the air is used. Roasting changes the structure of aluminosilicate; therefore, it can be dissolved in acids or even water and facilitates the production process of alumina. In this article, we have tried to review the production of alumina from tailings-containing aluminosilicate by roasting and leaching process. Advantages, disadvantages, type of solution used in leaching and operating temperature of these processes are categorized.

Automated summary

The tailings of some mines contain a significant amount of aluminosilicate, which presents challenges in storage and disposal. Therefore, there is a motivation to process and produce alumina from these tailings. Various methods have been proposed, and one effective method is to use a combination of roasting and leaching processes. Roasting with the help of salts or in the air changes the structure of aluminosilicate, enabling its dissolution in acids or water and facilitating the production of alumina. This article categorizes the advantages, disadvantages, type of leaching solution, and operating temperature of the roasting and leaching processes for producing alumina from aluminosilicate-containing tailings.