Study on Bauxite deposits in Cauca and Valle especially in Morales and Cajibío

Authors

  • Humberto Rosas García Ingeominas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bolgeol22.1.1979.271

Keywords:

Colombia, Cauca and Valle Department, clay deposits, chemical weathering, Popayán Formation

How to Cite

Rosas García, H. (1979). Study on Bauxite deposits in Cauca and Valle especially in Morales and Cajibío. Boletín Geológico, 22(1), 58–84. https://doi.org/10.32685/0120-1425/bolgeol22.1.1979.271

Issue

Section

Articles

Published

1979-01-01

Abstract

In the central region of the departments of Cauca and Valle, deposits of bauxitic clay, or low-grade bauxite, occur, formed by chemical weathering mainly from rocks of the Popayán formation. This formation consists of layers of detrital material with some lava flows, which were deposited in a Plio-Pleistocene fluvial lacustrine basin between the Central and Western Cordilleras.

The deposits occur preferentially in areas of gentle topography, forming a horizon concordant with the present soil. The bauxitic clay is brown, somewhat plastic, with abundant gibbsite aggregates, and represents an early stage of the bauxitization process. High- grade bauxite can be obtained from this bauxitic clay by removing the clay fraction and recovering the gibbsite aggregates by washing and sieving. These aggregates contain 59% Al2O3 and 3% SiO2, and 4.5% Fe2O3.

Based on geological field observations, well data, and geomorphological criteria, a detailed mapping of the 'deposits in the Morales - Cajibío area was carried out, and a calculation of reserves in this area was made, which gives a total of 80 000 000 tons of bauxitic clay on a dry basis, from which 20 000 000 tons of gibbsite aggregates could be obtained.

The total possible reserves in the departments of Cauca and Valle are estimated at 750,000,000 tonnes of bauxite clay on a dry basis, allowing the extraction of 93,750,000 tonnes of gibbsite aggregates.

References

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