Bauxite

1. Where is Bauxite found? Bauxite is a rock which is naturally formed and later mined from the ground. Bauxite is formed when granite, gneiss, basalt, syenite and shale, which are all silicate rocks, are weathered. To mine Bauxite it is dug from the ground by an excavator. It is then crushed and placed on an ore conveyor. Bauxite was discovered and named after a small town in France called Les Baux. It was discovered in 1921 by a geologist named Pierre Berthier. There are two main types of Bauxite Ore’s, carbonate bauxites, also known as karst bauxites and silicate bauxites, also known as lateritic bauxites. Carbonate Bauxites were discovered earlier and form mostly in Europe and Jamaica. Silicate Bauxites are formed in most countries on or around the tropical belt. Bauxite N This map shows the output of Bauxite around the world. The green dot is the largest and the red is the smallest output. The diagram below is how Bauxite is mined What is Bauxite?

2. How do humans use Bauxite? When will Bauxite run out? Bauxite after being mined. Bauxite ore is used for aluminum cans, it is a partial compound in cement and it is even used in some cosmetic products. However, the main use of Bauxite is for making aluminum. Aluminum is made in two stages, firstly the alumina is extracted from the Bauxite in a high-temperature process so that the rock will corrode and break down which will release the alumina. Secondly, the alumina is reduced to a dense liquid which then separates the oxygen and the aluminum apart. After the aluminum is extracted it is hardened so it becomes a versatile metal. Aluminum has lots of uses nowadays, it is used for car, motorbike and machinery parts, roofing, window frames, foil, power lines and even light bulbs and lolly wrappers! Because Bauxite is a naturally grown resource it will eventually run out and we are using it quicker than it can grow back. Currently, Australia has the largest output of Bauxite in the world. Australia accounts for around 30% of the global output of Bauxite. Between the beginning of 2012 and the end of 2013 Australia will have exported more than 75.2 million tonnes of Bauxite, which is 12.3 million tonnes more than between the beginning of 2007 and the end of 2008, when they exported 63.5 million tonnes of Bauxite. There is 5 mining companies in Australia, combined they have over 2090 employees. Overall, in a year the revenue adds up to 2 billion dollars. With these statistics Bauxite is likely to run out around 2139butbecause this is 126 years into the future scientists aren’t worried about the dates. They say that by 2139 they should have discovered another alternative to exhausting this natural resource. -By Camryn Bauxite after being turned into Aluminum. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bliss, N. W. (2013). Bauxite. In World Book Advanced. Retrieved fromhttp://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar050180 Discovery Communications. (2011). What is aluminum used for? - Curiosity. Curiosity. Retrieved July 26, 2013, from http://curiosity.discovery.com/question/what-is-aluminum-used-for Ibis World. (unknown). Bauxite Mining in Australia: Market Research Report. Bauxite Mining in Australia Market Research. Retrieved July 23, 2013, from http://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/default.aspx?indid=66