sedimentary
Bauxite
Bauxite (Al(OH)3, AlO(OH), AlOOH)
Hardness: 1-3 (very soft), Color: Reddish-brown, white, or gray, Luster: Dull/Earthly, Structure: Massive or pisolitic (pea-sized grains), Specific Gravity: 2.0-2.5
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Bauxite in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 1-3 (very soft), Color: Reddish-brown, white, or gray, Luster: Dull/Earthly, Structure: Massive or pisolitic (pea-sized grains), Specific Gravity: 2.0-2.5
Formation & geological history
Formed by the intense chemical weathering of rocks in tropical or subtropical climates, a process known as lateritization. It is the primary ore for aluminum.
Uses & applications
Primary source of aluminum metal; used in abrasives, refractories, and chemicals such as alum and aluminum sulfate.
Geological facts
Named after the village Les Baux in southern France where it was first discovered in 1821. It is not technically a mineral but a rock composed mainly of aluminum oxide minerals.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its dull, earthy appearance and round, pea-like 'pisolitic' structures. Commonly found in tropical regions like Australia, Guinea, and Brazil.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Mudstone
Argillite / Siliciclastic sedimentary rock
sedimentary
Brown Sandstone (River Rock)
Arenite
sedimentary
Cone-in-cone structure (Limestone)
Cone-in-cone structure (Secondary Sedimentary Structure)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary