Toward Low-Carbon Construction: A Review of Red Mud Utilization in Cementitious Materials and Geopolymers for Sustainability and Cost Benefits

Red mud (RM), an industrial byproduct generated during bauxite refining, has accumulated to more than 5 billion tons worldwide, posing serious environmental challenges. In response, substantial research over recent decades has focused on the sustainable utilization of RM, particularly in the field of construction materials. This review first summarizes the generation process and chemical composition of RM, and then systematically examines its potential applications in the production of artificial aggregates, partial replacement of cementitious materials, and synthesis of geopolymers. Existing studies demonstrate that RM exhibits considerable potential in construction applications: when used as an aggregate, it…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 52368046, 52578405