ABSTRACT
This chapter describes experimental work that has been carried out to overcome the salinity and sodicity of red mud particularly chemical neutralization with gypsum and copperas, and efforts to understand and exploit the properties of alumino-silicates binding sodium cations in the mud. Many possible uses of red mud have been suggested, but because of the quantity that is produced the most promising is incorporation into sandy soils. Red mud amended sands have higher water holding capacity, higher cation exchange capacity and are less water repellent thus are better agricultural soils and better at attenuating pollution. Treatment of the mud is necessary, however, before its rehabilitation or application to sands. The desilication product (DSP) in red mud contributes significantly to cation exchange capacity of the mud, and provide a key to further work in ameliorating red mud by cation exchange with plant nutrients.
