6.13 How can you separate alumina from silica in a bauxite ore associated with silica? Give equations, if any.

 To separate alumina from silica in bauxite ore associated with silica, first the powdered ore is digested with a concentrated NaOH solution at 473 − 523 K and 35 − 36 bar pressure. This results in the leaching out of alumina (AI2O3) as sodium aluminate and silica (SiO2) as sodium silicate leaving the impurities behind. 

 AI2O3(s) + 2NaOH(aq) + 3H2OH(aq)  2NaAI(OH)4(aq)
Alumina                                                          Sodium aluminate 

   SiO2  + 2NaOH(aq)   Na2SiO3(aq)      +         H2O(I)
Silica                                Sodium silicate

Then, CO2 gas is passed through the resulting solution to neutralize the aluminate in the solution, which results in the precipitation of hydrated alumina. To induce precipitation, the solution is seeded with freshly prepared samples of hydrated alumina.

2NaAI(OH)4(aq)  + CO2(g)       AI2O3 xH2O(s)      + 2NaHCO3(aq)
Sodium aluminate                           Hydrated alumina     Sodium hydrogen
                                                                                                     carbonate

During this process, sodium silicate remains in the solution. The obtained hydrated alumina is filtered, dried, and heated to get back pure alumina.
AI2O3 xH2O(s)          1470 K AI2O3(s) + xH2O(g)
Hydrated alumina                  Alumina