Bauxite is a naturally occurring, heterogeneous ore primarily composed of aluminum hydroxide minerals such as gibbsite (Al(OH)₃), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)), and diaspore (α-AlO(OH)). It is the world's main source of aluminum and serves as a key raw material for a wide range of industrial, metallurgical, and chemical applications. Bauxite is typically formed in tropical and subtropical regions through the weathering of aluminum-rich rocks.