Experimental Investigation of Red Mud Properties Through XRD, XRF, FTIR, ICP-OES, and BET Analysis

Abstract

Red mud is an alkaline waste material generated while processing aluminium by using Bayer process. Red mud is defined as a “High Volume Low Effect Waste” under the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. Even though, the effects of red mud are low, the utilization is limited. To properly understand the characteristics of the red mud waste material being studied, it is imperative that its physicochemical, mineralogical, elemental, and surface properties be thoroughly assessed. In this study, a systematic experimental approach is used to investigate the red muds characteristics using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analyser techniques. These combined results from the various analytical techniques yield valuable insights into the physical, chemical, and surface characteristics of red mud, which will be helpful in understanding its possibility of mass utilization in mine backfilling’s.