Circular economy and life cycle assessment of alumina production: Simulation-based comparison of Pedersen and Bayer processes

The excessive production of bauxite residue (red mud) in the Bayer process is one major challenges amongst alumina producers. Pedersen known as a combination smelting reduction and leaching treatment produced slag for production, also produces an inert (grey mud), which more suitable further processing compared to red mud. This paper describes life cycle assessment two processes, current commercialized alternative process, based on complete mass energy balance simulation. Process simulation environmental software are applied quantify metallurgical processes their related effects. By assuming same treatments residues, it found that, with pig iron, shows best performance mineral resource scarcity but requires higher demand generates twice amount process. final, relative climate change impact depends carbon intensity ore composition. • Simulation-based LCA was carried out compare scarcity. preferred high iron ores conditions cleaner supply.