Bauxite is pretty much red Australian dirt. It will be carted as small pebbles or a powder. If it was large solid pieces it wouldn't turn to liquefaction.

Read the article again. Yes, it’s a solid, but a solid more similar to sand or dirt than to a mountain or solid block of metal.

It’s not a true liquid, but rather solid dust mixed with trace amounts of water. Drier than mud, but powder and rock that can shift in a fluid-like way.

It’s like an avalanche or rock slide.

The article mentions moisture several times, as well as draining moisture during the trip. It also explains liquefaction in terms of water acting on the solid, whereas I always thought it was just about granularity.

From the article, it doesn't sound like it's about trace amounts of water at all. It sounds like water is somehow involved in the loading process...?

The liquid is simply acting as a lubricant. So, it takes a very small amount to make a large difference. Really it's less soggy than simply damp.

So why do they mention draining?

Or large parts of SF during an earthquake.

It was solid, but granular - the article gives the example of crushed ore and mineral sands - so it's already broken up.