Bauxite residue in cement and cementitious applications: Current status and a possible way forward

Utilisation of Bayer's process bauxite residue, BR, aka red mud, takes place in a very small fraction worldwide, most probably <5 wt.%. A success story in terms of industrial implementation is utilisation of BR as a raw material in cement production. The use of BR as a pozzolanic material has also been reported, with promising results in laboratory scale. This work aims to present an in depth review of these cases by providing a critical overview of the on-going research over the last forty years. To facilitate the transition from laboratory to industrial scale, a barriers and drivers analysis is also presented for the case of BR addition in the raw meal of cement clinker, following both BR and cement producers’ perspective. It is demonstrated that tangible results can be achieved with present-day technology and that one of the major barrier is economic. A number of clear actions are suggested to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable management of BR.

► A critical review is presented on on-going and past research. ► A number of cementitious materials with BR are covered. ► A barriers and drivers analysis is included for BR addition in the raw meal. ► A number of clear actions are suggested at the end of the work.