Bauxite Facts for Kids

Bauxite with a core of unweathered parent rock

Bauxite in France

Bauxite is a very important rock. It is the main source for making aluminium, which is a lightweight metal used in many things, like soda cans, airplanes, and even your phone! Bauxite is mostly made of aluminium oxide.

This special rock is largely made up of different minerals. These include Gibbsite, Boehmite, and Diaspore. It also contains iron minerals like Goethite and Hematite, which often give bauxite its reddish-brown color. There's also a clay mineral called Kaolinite and small amounts of Anatase. Bauxite got its name from a village in southern France called Les Baux-de-Provence. It was first found there in 1821 by a geologist named Pierre Berthier. Today, the four biggest countries that produce bauxite are Australia, Brazil, China, and India.

What Kinds of Bauxite Are There?
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What Kinds of Bauxite Are There?

There are two main types of bauxite rocks: carbonate bauxites and silicate bauxites.

Carbonate Bauxites

Carbonate bauxites were the first type discovered. You can mostly find them in Europe and Jamaica. They form on top of rocks that are rich in carbonates, like limestone and dolomite.

Silicate Bauxites

Silicate bauxites are found in many countries in the tropical parts of the world. These types of bauxite form from different kinds of silicate rocks. Examples include granite, gneiss, basalt, syenite, and shale.

How Does Bauxite Form?

For bauxite to form, two main things need to happen. First, there must be very strong weathering conditions. This means rocks break down a lot due to rain, wind, and other natural forces. Second, there needs to be very good drainage. This allows water to flow away easily, carrying away other minerals and leaving the aluminium-rich parts behind. The bauxite deposits with the most aluminium are often found beneath a surface layer that contains a lot of iron. In silicate bauxite, the aluminium found in these deposits is almost entirely a form called gibbsite.