Bauxite - Its uses are important for the manufactories, ceramics, chemicals, abrasives, cements, and flame retardants. Mixture of Iron and Aluminium Hydroxides/Oxides Al, Fe, O, OH, BAUXITE is a naturally occurring, heterogeneous material composed primarily of one or more aluminum hydroxide minerals, plus various mixtures of silica, iron oxide, titania, aluminosilicate, and other impurities in minor or trace amounts. The principal aluminum hydroxide minerals found in varying proportions with bauxites are gibbsite and the polymorphs boehmite and diaspore. Bauxites are typically classified according to their intended commercial application: abrasive, cement, chemical, metallurgical, refractory, etc. The bulk of world bauxite production (approximately 85%) is used as feed for the manufacture of alumina via a wet chemical caustic leach method commonly known as the Bayer process. Subsequently, the majority of the resulting alumina produced from this refining process is in turn employed as the feedstock for the production of aluminum metal by the electrolytic reduction of alumina in a molten bath of natural or synthetic cryolite (Na3AlF6), the Hall-Héroult process. Formula Al2O3 + SiO2 + TiO2 + Fe2O3 Typical Chemical Properties Available Purities available from 98% (industrial grade) to 99.999% (high purity grade). Typical Physical Properties Available Physical properties vary widely according to the mine source. Granulations available include: 50 mm by down lumps, crushed coarse sizes (-3 mesh, -6 mesh, -8 mesh and -12 mesh) and ground powder sizes (-100 mesh, -200 mesh and -325 mesh). Traditional uses of bauxite Blast Furnaces Iron/Steel Ladles Torpedo Cars Electric Arc furnaces Tundishes Soaking Pits Reheat/Soaking Pits Open Hearth Cement Aluminum