Bauxite shows a wide range of applications, according to its chemical and mineralogical composition. In the refractory industry, this raw material has partially or totally substituted fused alumina in bricks and castables, due to its high refractoriness and low cost. The major producers of refractory grade bauxite are, in this order, China, Guyana and Brazil. Although Brazil is one of the major suppliers of this raw material, very few studies have been carried out to understand its chemical, mineralogical and high-temperature properties. These papers present a review regarding the applications of South American and Chinese refractory grade bauxites, including the microchemistry of their crystalline phases and their hot properties. This second part will focus mechanical properties at high temperatures, and a common problem in refractory bauxites, the secondary thermal expansion.
bauxites; refractories; raw materials; properties
