Tracking organic carbon transformations governing oxyanion mobility in eco-engineered bauxite residue: multi-year field insights for safe and sustainable rehabilitation (2026)
Abstract
Bauxite residue is a highly alkaline, hazardous by-product of alumina refining, posing long-term environmental challenges. A patented eco-engineering technology offers a sustainable solution by transforming this waste into functional, soil-like substrates (technosols) that support vegetation without imported topsoil. Though a green process, the long-term environmental safety of this approach depends on understanding how organic carbon interacts with toxic elements, such as vanadium (V). This project will use advanced synchrotron soft X-ray spectroscopy to resolve organic carbon forms and their transformations during multi-year field trials, providing critical insights to predict V behavior and ensure safe, non-polluting mine waste rehabilitation.
