The process of alumina extraction from CFA involved three stages; acid leach, sinter, and acid leach.
The first leaching step extracted up to 89.3% aluminium from the amorphous phase in raw CFA.
The second leaching step extracted up to 84.3% aluminium from the mullite phase in residue-CFA.
A combination of the first and second leaching steps extracted a total of 88.2% aluminium from CFA.
Sintering of coal fly ash residue from the first leaching stage was carried out using mixture of CFA with calcium carbonate.