Resumen de Proppant potential for bauxite
Concerning bauxite, so-called "abrasive" grade bauxite has been the favoured specification for ceramic proppant manufacture. Typical specifications of a raw abrasive grade bauxite are min. 55% Al 2 O 3, max. 5.00% SiO 2, max. Fe 2 O 3, and min. 2.50% TiO 2. Calcination of raw material would normally increase alumina content to 70-85% Al 2 O 3 depending on raw material and calcining conditions.
Until mid-2007, both Saint-Gobain and Carbo Ceramics imported calcined abrasive grade bauxite to their US plants from Comalco in Australia. Carbo Ceramics used the bauxite for production of its high strength proppant CarboHSP (83% Al 2 O 3 ) and intermediate strength proppant CarboProp (72% Al 2 O 3 ).
Already, ceramic proppant producers, along with bauxite deposit developers, are trying to assess the potential demand for proppants in these regions. That is no surprise, given the future world demand for energy (increasing by 41% to 2035 according to BP's latest forecast), and the favouring of natural gas as the fossil fuel of the future. There is little doubt that there will be increased demand for ceramic proppants, and thus increased demand for their raw material feedstock.
