Alumina and carbonate production method from AI-rich materials with integrated CO2 utilization

A process for producing alumina and carbonate from aluminium-rich materials with integrated CO2 utilization, comprising the steps of:

• a. crushing and milling the aluminium-rich materials;
• b. leaching the crushed materials with a concentrated mineral acid comprising HCl to produce a metal chloride solution and unreacted solid materials;
• c. separating unreacted solid materials from the metal chloride solution;
• d. separating Al3+from the metal chloride solution by crystallization of AlCl3-6H2O by increasing the amount of HCl in the metal chloride solution;
• e. calcining AlCl3-6H2O and separating HCl byproduct to produce Al2O3 by first indirectly heating at a temperature between 400° C. and 600° C. to produce an HCl-rich gas, and then heating at a temperature above 600° C. to produce Al2O3;
• f. precipitating metal carbonates from the metal chloride aqueous solution coming from step (e) by mixing the metal chloride solution with an organic solution containing an amine to yield a mixture, and then contacting the mixture with CO2 gas to form ammonium chloride salt complex and precipitate and separate a metal carbonate;
• g. regenerating HCl and the amine by processing the organic solution thermally or chemically.