[SRINAGAR] Red mud, a by-product of alumina industries, can be ‘carbonised’for safe handling and the resulting material can be used to treat water contaminated with heavy metals, say scientists… According to their findings, after carbonisation, the capacity of red mud to remove metal contaminants, particularly lead and copper, from water improves ten-fold as compared to red mud that has been acidified — an existing method to improve the waste material.