Investigation of Bauxites of Various Deposits as Raw Materials for Special Alumina Cements

The study deals with the bauxites of deposits of Turkey, Guinea and Guyana, which are used in alumina production, as raw materials for special alumina cements. The chemical and mineralogical compositions of bauxites of various deposits have been determined and bauxites quality relative to alumina cements obtaining has been analyzed. It is ascertained that: Turkish bauxite contains more than 9 wt. % SiO₂; Guinean bauxite (deposit Kindia) has a reduced content of Al₂O₃ (below 45 wt. %); and Guyanese bauxite (deposit Aroaima) complies with requirements for alumina cement completely. Cements of different purity, based on the bauxites being studied, have been obtained and the possibility of using the low‐grade bauxites as raw materials for special alumina cements has been proved. Medium‐purity cements with high content of Al₂O₃ can be used for heat‐resistant concretes, and low‐purity cements with high content of Fe₂O₃ can be applied for a new kind of functional materials – sacrificial binders in passive safety systems (core‐catchers) of nuclear power plants.