An overview of the mineralogical characterization and treatment strategies of Bauxite residues for their sustainable management

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Bauxite Residue (BR) is an industrial waste generated by the extraction of alumina through the Bayer process. It is usually stored in specially constructed sedimentation ponds. Long-term storage notoriously leads to severe environmental issues due to its high alkalinity which affects neighboring communities. It contaminates phreatic and surface waters through the infiltration of metal laden caustic solution and radionuclides. The air also gets polluted through dispersion of particles which threatens surrounding biodiversity. To manage these environmental concerns, it is necessary to engineer the waste residue into value added products. This paper systematically reviews the mineralogical and chemical characterization of the waste and techniques developed for its recycling.