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Bauxite Mining and Aluminum Production
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Bauxite Mining and Aluminum Production
Bauxite Mining and Aluminum Production
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1
Question
What is bauxite primarily used for in aluminum production?
Page 1
Answer
Bauxite is the ore used to create aluminum.
2
Question
How is bauxite described in terms of its physical appearance?
Page 1
Answer
Bauxite is a red-brown clay.
3
Question
What are the two main stages in purifying bauxite into aluminum?
Page 1
Answer
First bauxite to alumina (aluminum oxide), then alumina to aluminum.
4
Question
Which country was the largest bauxite producer in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
Australia produced 75 million tonnes.
5
Question
What was China's bauxite production in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
China produced 70 million tonnes.
6
Question
What was Guinea's bauxite production volume in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
Guinea produced 50 million tonnes.
7
Question
How much bauxite did Brazil produce in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
Brazil produced 27 million tonnes.
8
Question
What was India's bauxite production in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
India produced 24 million tonnes.
9
Question
What was Jamaica's ranking and production of bauxite in 2018?
Page 1
Answer
Jamaica ranked sixth with 10 million tonnes.
10
Question
Where are Jamaica's major bauxite deposits and mining areas located?
Page 1
Answer
Central and western parts of the country.
11
Question
How is extracted bauxite transported in Jamaica for processing?
Page 1
Answer
Carried to plants for refinement into alumina, then by rail to ports for export.
12
Question
Name four international companies marketing Jamaican bauxite.
Page 1
Answer
WINDALCO, ALPART (Alumina Partners of Jamaica), JAMALCO, Noranda Bauxite Limited.
13
Question
What type of mining process does Jamaica use for bauxite?
Page 1
Answer
Jamaica uses the open cast mining process.
14
Question
What is the first step in Jamaica's open cast bauxite mining?
Page 1
Answer
A radar is used to determine the location of bauxite deposits.
15
Question
What happens in the second step of open cast bauxite mining?
Page 1
Answer
The land is cleared and the top 15-30 cm is removed using a bulldozer.
16
Question
What is preserved from the second step of open cast mining for later use?
Page 2
Answer
The topsoil removed by bulldozer is preserved for rehabilitating the area.
17
Question
Describe the third step in open cast bauxite mining.
Page 2
Answer
The rock layer is removed by blasting and a stepped pit is dug with a sloping road.
18
Question
What purpose does the sloping road in the mining pit serve?
Page 2
Answer
The sloping road is used to remove extracted material.
19
Question
What occurs in the fourth step of open cast bauxite mining?
Page 2
Answer
More explosives loosen the minerals before loading into trailer trucks.
20
Question
What is done in the fifth and final step of open cast mining?
Page 2
Answer
Land is smoothed, reshaped, soil replaced in pit, then reforested with plants and trees.
21
Question
Besides reforestation, how is post-mined land in Jamaica repurposed?
Page 2
Answer
Used for housing, agriculture, and factories like Lime Tree Peanut Factory and Comfort Bammy Factory.
22
Question
What common practice addresses displacement from bauxite mining in Jamaica?
Page 2
Answer
Resettlement is common for persons displaced by mining.
23
Question
What is the primary pollutant from bauxite mining purification?
Page 2
Answer
Red mud (20% solid and 80% liquid) from caustic soda.
24
Question
How much red mud is produced per tonne of alumina?
Page 2
Answer
5 tonnes of red mud per tonne of alumina.
25
Question
What environmental impact does red mud have on vegetation?
Page 2
Answer
Red mud kills nearby vegetation.
26
Question
How do red mud crystals affect air and water during dry weather?
Page 2
Answer
Crystals make air hard to breathe and pollute springs and wells.
27
Question
What is a key environmental destruction from open cast bauxite mining?
Page 2
Answer
Large tracts of land destroyed to reach bauxite, losing native flora and fauna.
28
Question
How does open cast mining visually and geologically alter the landscape?
Page 2
Answer
Leaves a 'scar' on the landscape and makes area prone to landslides and soil slippage.
29
Question
Why is Jamaican bauxite production considered inefficient compared to others?
Page 2
Answer
Jamaica produces less than larger countries like Guinea or Australia.
30
Question
What economic factor limits Jamaica's alumina processing?
Page 2
Answer
Cannot afford to maintain alumina processing plants due to economic instability.