UNITED STATES MINERAL RESOURCES 



ALUMINUM AND BAUXITE 



By Sam H. Patterson and John R. Dyni 



CONTENTS 



Abstract of conclusions 



Introduction 



United States and world bauxite production 



Byproducts 



Environmental considerations 



Geolo^c environment of bauxite 



Resources 



Bauxite resources 



Other potential resources of aluminum _ 



Alunite 



Aluminum phosphate rock 



Aluminous shale and slate 



Dawsonite 



High-alumina clays 



Igneous rocks 



Saprolite 



Coal ash 



Copper-leach solutions 



Problems for research 



Selected references 



FIGURE 



Graph showing United States production and im- 

 ports and world production of bauxite, 1928- 

 71 



TABLES 



Specifications for abrasive, chemical, and refrac- 

 tory grades of bauxite 



Chemical composition of bauxite resources in the 

 United States 



38 



ABSTRACT OF CONCLUSIONS 



Imports of bauxite and alumina, mainly from Jamaica, 

 Surinam, and Australia, supply approximately 87 percent of 

 the United States requirements for manufacture of alumi- 



num metal and certain refractories, abrasives, and chemicals. 

 Bauxite mined in Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama supplies 

 the remaining 13 percent. Barring unforeseen political de- 

 velopments, the growing requirements of the aluminum in- 

 dustry in the United States will be met by imports of in- 

 creasing amounts of aluminum metal and alumina rather 

 than bauxite ore. 



Domestic resources of bauxite — approximately 40 million 

 tons reserves and 250-300 million tons potential resources — 

 are inadequate to fulfill the long-term demand; however, the 

 Nation has virtually inexhaustible potential resources of 

 aluminous materials other than bauxite. High-alumina clays 

 now seem the most promising of the potential alternate 

 sources of aluminum. Dawsonite in the rich oil-shale deposits 

 of Colorado is a possible source of aluminum that may be a 

 recoverable byproduct of shale oil. Alunite, reportedly found 

 in a large deposit in Utah, may be a possible source of 

 aluminum and other products. Other less promising poten- 

 tial resources include aluminous shale and slate, aluminum 

 phosphate rock, igneous rocks, saprolite, coal ash, and copper- 

 leach solutions. 



Exploration for major high-grade bauxite deposits should 

 continue. Favorable areas for exploration include parts of 

 South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Use of improved 

 analytical tools, such as the borehole neutron activation 

 probe, could speed up exploration for new deposits and 

 evaluation of known deposits. Geologic research is also 

 needed on the nonbauxite sources of aluminum in the United 

 States, inasmuch as the detailed geologic information avail- 

 able on the potential resources is inadequate. 



INTRODUCTION 



Aluminum is a silvery white ductile lightweight 

 (specific gravity of 2.7) metal having efficient elec- 

 trical conductivity and resistance to oxidation. Be- 

 cause of its properties, abundance, and low cost, 

 aluminum has become one of the most important 

 metals in industry; only iron surpasses it in ton- 

 nages used. Major uses of the metal are in the con- 

 struction industry and in the manufacture of air- 

 craft, motor vehicles, electrical equipment and 

 supplies, fabricated metal products, machinery, 

 beverage cans, containers, and a wide variety of 

 home-consumer products. Aluminum is essential to 

 our standard of living and is a strategic commodity 



U.S. GEOL. SURVEY PROF. PAPER 820 



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