Bauxite

[Carol]

Does anyone know about bauxite: How to use it? What you can do with it? What form it comes in? Where to get it? Expense? Durability? Anything?

Thanks,

Carol

[fritchie]

It's one of the major sources, possibly the major source, of aluminum metal, and generally is imported as a reddish powder. At least until recently, and possibly still, major amounts were shipped to Louisiana regularly because of our cheap natural gas supplies. Gas diversions to the national market for home usage began from here in the 1970's, and that greatly reduced aluminum production. I don’t know if any is produced now or not.

[rderr.com]

Bauxite is the only source of unrecycled aluminum and is so named for the first commercially exploited site in the 18th and 19th centuries of the ore in France, Les Baux-en-Province.

Bob

[jwebb]

Bauxite is also the common name for a stone, used in Africa for making trade beads. It is also found in the Southwestern U.S. It is also called pipe stone or pipestem stone. It's reddish to yellowish, quite nice to carve. American Indians made pipes from it.

[Carol]

Originally Posted by jwebb

Bauxite is also the common name for a stone, used in Africa for making trade beads. It is also found in the Southwestern U.S. It is also called pipe stone or pipestem stone. It's reddish to yellowish, quite nice to carve. American Indians made pipes from it.

Not sure if I'm doing this reply right, but here goes. . . .I saw some sculptures in San Francisco recently, life size figurative made of bauxite and sheet metal. I think the bauxite is the main material the sculptor used. Do you know how to get it, how expensive it is, etc.? Or even if it comes that large? The sculptures were less expensive than much smaller cast stone pieces, which I thought curious.. . .Carol

[jwebb]

There is a website called "Zuni by Harris" that sells it as "pipestone". They say it's mined in Silver City, New Mexico. I doubt they'll have pieces large enough to do a "lifesize" face, as they seem to cater to jewelry makers, but they might, or might put you on the trail. They have a nice little sculpture pictured on their site which shows the qualitities of the stone quite well. Please keep us informed how it goes.

[sculptorsam]

Here in Minnesota there is actually a city in the Southwestern corner called Pipestone. I believe there is a large Native American reservation there where they mine it (I think by law they are the only ones that can down there). You may want to check that out as well.

Sam

[jwebb]

Another website is "The Compleat Sculptor", which sells stone out of New Yawk City. They have "Minnesota pipestone" for $3.99/lb. That's exceedingly spendy, in my book. You might want to plan an expedition to New Mexico and check out that source. I also find it curious that the sculptures in this material plus metal were relatively so less expensive than even "cast" i.e. fake stone sculptures you saw in San Francisco. Probably just desperation on the part of the artist. A mode I know well.

[jwebb]

Well, the sculptures you were describing, Carol, are prominently featured in this month's Art News. They are by Dan Corbin, showing at the CaldwellSnyder Gallery in San Francisco, and they are certainly not the pipestone stuff. They are apparently made mostly of the bauxite "ore" or aluminum-bearing earth, cast in a mold (?) judging from the "finning" that seems to be on one of them, with sections of sheet metal and maybe cloth or other materials comprising some sections, and painted in places with light "oxide" washes. I've no knowledge of this material or where to get it. Very striking work.