ABSTRACT
Red mud is an industrial waste material generated as a by-product during the processing of bauxite for the production of alumina by the Bayer process. Although red mud appears to be consolidated, it has a muddy consistency with colloidal nature because of the fineness of the material and presence of caustic soda. Many efforts are being made globally to find suitable uses for red mud so that the alumina industry may end up with no residue at all. Contamination of groundwater and surface water by anions coming out from nonpoint sources has become a growing environmental problem for both developed and developing countries. Metal ions are one of the important classes of aquatic pollutants. In recent years, the rapid growth of industries, especially fertilizer, metal plating, tanneries, mining, and textile, have increased the discharge of toxic heavy metals into water streams, particularly in developing countries.
