29 JULY 2011theatlantic.com
Industrial Scars: The Art of Environmental Pollution
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
1 min read
When bauxite (raw aluminum ore) is processed into aluminum oxide, or alumina, it's first bathed in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) at very high temperatures. Aluminum compounds in the bauxite dissolve while other compounds remain behind: iron oxides, sand, clay, some titanium oxides and even radioactive materials, such as uranium or thorium. That resulting red slurry has a lethal pH that can easily destroy plant and animal life, inflict chemical burns and even damage airways if the fumes are inhaled.
Most refineries store this waste in open ponds where the water evaporates over several years where it is then buried or mixed with soil. Alas, those reservoirs can leak and flood, as we saw with the toxic sludge torrent that inundated villages in Hungary late last year. While the soil contains useful elements, there is no economically violable way to extract them. Keep in mind that aluminum oxide requires a second process, electrolysis, to make the aluminum metal used in soda cans and foil.
Most refineries store this waste in open ponds where the water evaporates over several years where it is then buried or mixed with soil. Alas, those reservoirs can leak and flood, as we saw with the toxic sludge torrent that inundated villages in Hungary late last year. While the soil contains useful elements, there is no economically violable way to extract them. Keep in mind that aluminum oxide requires a second process, electrolysis, to make the aluminum metal used in soda cans and foil.
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