<p>As global bauxite supplies are running low, it is critical to produce alumina in an energy- and cost-efficient manner for the long-term sustainability of aluminium production. This study presents a novel, environmentally being route for extracting alumina from diasporic bauxite, a strategically important and EU-classified critical raw material, without the use of caustic soda and with minimal red mud generation. Unlike conventional Bayer-based approaches, this process employs sodium carbonate-assisted roasting followed by water leaching and crystallization. The proposed method enables the formation of water-soluble sodium aluminate phases at relatively moderate temperatures (1000-1100ºC), leading to high alumina recovery. The optimized process yielded Al(OH)₃ with 62.20 wt.% Al₂O_3, which was subsequently calcined to obtain smelter-grade alumina with 97.30 wt.% purity. This work distinguishes itself from existing literature by integrating a non-caustic, energy-conscious flow sheet with the capability to recover high-purity alumina. The findings demonstrate the potential of this method as a scalable and sustainable alternative for the primary aluminium industry.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>