Comprehensive Utilizations of Red Mud with Emphasis on Circular Economy: An Approach towards Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Authors : Bishnu Pada Bose

Pages : 253-261

View : 58 | Download : 65

Publication Date : 2024-08-31

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :Red mud (Bauxite residue) is an industrial by-product (IBP) generated as a vast volume, mainly from aluminum industries. Disposal of red mud in open land leads to serious environmental hazards, occupies a vast land area, and incurs enormous economic and social costs. Storage and maintenance of red mud dumps are also costly, and their failures frequently flood vast areas, killing people and cattle and disrupting the ecosystem. Conversely, research data shows that the red mud has enormous potential to transform its valuable resources. Due to the growing demand for bauxite ore for aluminum industries, the volume of red mud has been increasing rapidly, causing an inevitable multidirectional consequence in the context of environmental and sustainability issues. On the other hand, the rising demand and resource crises continue to deplete natural resources; the gap of enormous resource availability has become a severe challenge for scientists, researchers, and institutional R&D to develop a process technology to re-generate resources through the recycling of wastes. Using red mud through the circular economy concept can replenish the depletion of virgin resources (mainly the construction sector) and extract valuable materials and metals from red mud. Recycling RM through the circular business model can increase the sustainability of natural resources, reduce environmental pollution, water contamination, and land pollution, increase land area, replenish the depletion of natural resources, enhance economic growth, and mitigate global warming and climate change.
Keywords : Industrial by products, Red mud, Waste recycling, Circular economy, Environmental pollutions

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