BAUXITE
Hardness: 1 - 3
BAUXITE
| An aluminium ore. Bauxite is a mixture of several minerals, including hydrated aluminium oxide, gibbsite, boehmite, diaspore and iron oxides. Strictly speaking, bauxite should be classified as a rock, but it is sometimes grouped with minerals. The varied composition means that its properties are also variable. The colour varies from white to yellowish or red and reddish brown. It has a dull or earthy lustre and is opaque. It forms by the weathering and decay of rocks that contain aluminium silicates. this is most likely to occur under tropical conditions, when heavy rains leach the silicates from the rock, leaving behind the alumiunium minerals. Bauxite smells of wet clay if breathed on. Hardness: 1 - 3
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