BAUXITE ISSUE IN MALAYSIA 2016

What is bauxite?

 It is an aluminium ore and the world's main source of aluminium.

 Not a mineral itself, it is a rock comprised mostly of aluminium hydroxide, typically
alongside small amounts of silica, iron oxide and other impurities.
 It is used mostly to make aluminium but other uses include making sandpaper,
polishing powders, and in hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", gas and oil from shale
rock.
 There are plentiful reserves of it, which should allow hundreds of years' more use
even before recycling is taken into account.
 Generally, bauxite contains mainly Aluminum oxide (40–50%), ferric oxide (20%)
and 3–5% combined silica. However, according to Rajah, bauxite in Kuantan
is characterised by high ferric oxide content ranging from 14.4 to 40.6% depending on
the area

Effects of Bauxite

 Contents of Bauxite sediment :-

o Aluminium Hydroxide, Iron Oxide, Titanium Oxide, reactive silica.
o The toxic red mud produced by the bauxite mines contains naturally
radioactive minerals like arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead,
manganese, mercury and nickel.
 Aluminium Hydroxide
o 32 – 52 %
o Pain and reddening of the nose, coughing, pain and redness of the skin, along
with peeling and itching eyes, are among the significant effects of exposure to
bauxite dust
o High level exposure to aluminum in the stomach prevent the absorption of
phosphate, a chemical compound required for healthy bones and may cause
bone diseases in children
o Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
 Iron Oxide
o Causes the roads, river and sea to become reddish.
o Long-term exposure of iron oxide to the respiratory system could lead to the
accumulation of iron in the liver tissue and affect the functioning of the liver
system.
o The situation is thus worsened for people with thalassemia and hemophilia or
those suffering from swelling of the liver and spleen.
 Titanium Oxide
o Exposure of this substance may give an adverse effect to those who suffer
from eczema skin, heart problems and liver problems
  Silica
o Exposure to high concentrations can cause shortness of breath, chest pain,
fatigue, fainting or even death
o Longer periods of exposure cause the inflammation of the lungs.
o Eventually, this will cause problems such as chronic bronchitis or acute
respiratory infections silicosis
 Heavy metals - cadmium, arsenic, lead,
o kidney damage but possibly also bone effects and fractures
o affect the nervous system and lead to violent muscular spasms and even death
o Lead - when it goes into the bloodstream and starts depositing itself in the
body- bones, soft tissue, and the brain.
o Cadmium is slow to exit the body and the negative effects of cadmium are
disastrous, affecting the cardiovascular and reproductive systems, kidneys,
eyes, and brain.
 Mining impact zone- The mining area is scattered and occurring near to and within
community settlements without a clearly defined zone.
 Air, food and visual pollution - due to dust
 Water pollution and risk of mud flood - Potential to contaminate drinking water
 Noise Pollution
o Due to heavy trucks accessing to the bauxite mining area,
o Extraction of bauxite using heavy machinery
o Movement of lorries from mining area to stockpile places
o The potential health effects identified include hearing loss or loss of hearing
sensitivity, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular and physiological effects, mental
health and behavioural effects, cognitive performance including poor
performance by school children

Action taken

 The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has already brought up charges

against four officials accused of accepting bribes to allow unauthorized bauxite
trucking
 Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has imposed a three-month
suspension on the industry starting from 15 January 2016
 Pahang State Health Department has established a surveillance system to monitor
continuously food and drinking water quality and diseases in the area of Kuantan.