Rehabilitation of Red Mud Tailings Produced at the Aughinish Alumina Refinery

doi:10.36487/ACG_repo/663_20

Authors: Courtney, R

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/663_20

Cite As:
Courtney, R 2006, 'Rehabilitation of Red Mud Tailings Produced at the Aughinish Alumina Refinery', in R Jewell, S Lawson & P Newman (eds), Paste 2006: Proceedings of the Ninth International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 235-241, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/663_20

Download citation as: ris bibtex endnote text Zotero

Abstract:
The Aughinish Alumina Limited (AAL) Bayer Plant in South West Ireland produces approximately 1.7 million tonnes of alumina per annum. During the Bayer Process, two distinct residue fractions are produced and separated before disposal. These residues are differentiated into a fine fraction 'red mud' and a coarse fraction of 'process sand'. The principal residue, red mud, is produced at a rate of approximately 1.05 million tonnes per annum and about 0.15 million tonnes of process sand is also produced. There are an estimated 84 global alumina producers generating an estimated 65+ M tonnes of processing residue per annum (Prasad et al., 1996).

References:

Anon (1993) Extension to bauxite residue storage area at Aughinish Island, Askeaton, Co. Limerick, environmental impact

statement, Ove Arup and Partners, Limerick.

Barrow, N.J. (1982) Possibility of using caustic residue from bauxite for improving the chemical and physical properties of sandy

soils, Aust. J. Agric. Res. 33, pp. 275–285.

Chapman, H.D. (1966) Diagnostic criteria for plants and soils, California, USA. University of California.

Council Directive on 15 July 1975 Waste Framework Directive (75/442), Official Journal of the European Communities No L 194

Council Directive on 12 December 1991 on Hazardous Waste Directive (91/689/EC), Official Journal of the European Communities

No L 377.

Council Directive on 26 April 1999 on Landfill of Wastes (99/31), Official Journal of the European Communities No L 182.

Curtin, D. and Naidu, R. (1998) Fertility constraints to plant production, In: Sumner, M., and Naidu, R. (Eds.), Sodic Soils –

Distribution, Properties, Management, and Environmental Consequences, Oxford University Press, pp. 107 - 123.

Gherardi, M.J. and Rengel, Z. (2001) Deep placement of manganese fertiliser improves sustainability of lucerne growing on bauxite

residue: A glasshouse study, Plant and Soil 257, pp. 85–95.

Gherardi, M.J. and Rengel, Z. (2003) Bauxite residue sand has the capacity to rapidly decrease availability of added manganese,

Plant and Soil 234, pp. 143–151.

Gupta, R. and Abrol, I.P. (1990) Reclamation and management of alkali soils, Indian J. Agric. Sci. 60, pp. 1–16.

McGrath, D., Carton, O., Diamond, S., O’Sullivan, A., Murphy, W., Rogers, P., Parle, P. and Byrne, E. (2001) Soil, herbage, feed

and water, in: Investigations of Animal Health Problems at Askeaton, Co. Limerick, Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland.

Meecham, J. and Bell, L. (1977) Revegetation of alumina refinery wastes. 1. Properties and amelioration of the materials, Australian

Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 17, pp. 679–688.

Munshower, F. (1994) Practical Handbook of Disturbed Land Revegetation, Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, Florida.

Nguyen, Q. and Boger, D. (1987) The rheology of concentrated bauxite residue suspensions — a complete story, In: Wagh, A.S.,

Desai, P. (Eds.), Bauxite Tailings ‘Red Mud'. The Jamaica Bauxite Institute, pp. 53–65.

Nguyen, Q. and Boger, D. (1998) Application of rheology to solving tailings disposal problems, International Journal of Mineral

Processing, 54, 3-4, pp. 217-233.

Prasad, P., Chandwani, H. and Mahadevan, H. (1996) Disposal practices for bauxite tailings at the alumina refineries, Trans. Indian

Inst. Net., 49, 6, pp. 817-839.

Reuter, D.J. and Robinson, J.B. (1997) Plant Analysis - An Interpretation Manual, Second Edition, CSIRO, Australia.

Rogers, P.A. and Murphy, W. (2000) Levels of dry matter, major elements and trace elements in Irish grass, silage and hay, Teagasc

Publications, Wexford, Ireland.

Williamson, N. A., Johnson, M. S. and Bradshaw, A. D. (1982) Mine Wastes Reclamation, Mining Journal Books, London.

Wong, J. and Ho, G. (1993) Use of waste gypsum in the revegetation on red mud deposits: A greenhouse study, Waste Management

and Research 11, pp. 249-256.

Wong, J. and Ho, G. (1994) Effectiveness of acidic industrial wastes for reclaiming fine bauxite refining residue, Soil Science 158, 2,

pp. 115-123.

Paste2006,Limerick,Ireland 241

surfAce disPosAl

© Copyright 2024, Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG), The University of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
View copyright/legal information
Please direct any queries or error reports to repository-acg@uwa.edu.au