Bauxite, which consists of oxide type ores containing hydrated alumina is mainly used for the production of aluminum. In addition, minor amounts of bauxite and alumina are consumed in the refractory, abrasive and chemical industries.

Aluminum is obtained from two basic sources:

(i) bauxite ores which dre refined into alumina and then processed into aluminum

(ii) aluminum from scrap. 

The usual color of bauxite is pink, but if of low iron content it may tend to become whitish in color and with increase in iron it becomes reddish brown in color.It is well known that when alumina-rich igneous rocks/metamorphic rocks weather the feldspars of such rocks are usually kaolonized, but under tropical monsoonal conditions, the weathering goes a step further and results in residuum rich in hydroxides of aluminum together with oxides of iron, manganese and titanium. Where there is a sufficient concentration of the aluminum hydroxides, economic deposits of bauxite originate. This process of “bauxitization” as it is called thrives well on a topographically elevated well-drained place and that is why, most bauxite deposits occur, on large plateau, of low relief. In the world, bauxite deposits have been found in rocks