Abstract

NYOKA, M.; BRAZIER, D.; COURTNEY, T.  and  PARRY, R.A.. Merits of using andalusite-based refractories compared to bauxite-based refractories. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2013, vol.113, n.8, pp.647-650. ISSN 2411-9717.

Historically bauxite-based refractories have been used in applications where andalusite-based refractories could work. Bauxite-based refractories were chosen over andalusite-based refractories mainly because of the availability of low-cost Chinese bauxite and also because many furnaces were designed by international companies that cannot easily access high-quality products. Currently, the availability of low-cost bauxite is under threat as a result of high export duties and tariffs as well as restrictions on the amount of material that China allows to be exported. South Africa is a major producer of andalusite, and this guarantees stability with respect to both availability and price. Refractories based on andalusite have an added economic advantage over bauxite-based refractories in that unlike bauxite, which requires high-temperature calcination before use, andalusite is used in its raw state. This paper constitutes a literature study of the merits, both technical and economic, of using refractories based on andalusite compared to bauxite-based refractories.

Keywords : bauxite; andalusite; refractory; furnaces; calcination.

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