A Study on the Mechanical Properties and Hydration Process of Slag Cemented Ultrafine Tailings Paste Backfill

Hui Li, Xiaomei Wan (), Zuquan Jin, Yunzheng Cui and Ya Chen
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Hui Li: School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
Xiaomei Wan: School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
Zuquan Jin: School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
Yunzheng Cui: School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
Ya Chen: School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: Paste backfill prepared with ultrafine tailings often faces difficulties in meeting engineering requirements. To address the challenge of using ultrafine tailings, this work utilized a slag cemented ultrafine tailings paste backfill (SCUPB) composed of slag, Portland cement, and desulfurized gypsum as the cementitious materials, with a binder–tailing ratio of 1:4 and a solid mass concentration of 60%. The fluidity and compressive strength of the SCUPB were tested at 3 days, 7 days, and 28 days, while the microstructure and hydration process of the SCUPB were studied by scanning electron microscopy and isothermal calorimetry. The results reveal that the fluidity of the SCUPB decreases with the increase in the slag content and increases with the decrease in the c/g ratio. SCUPB attains the highest early compressive strength with a slag content of 70% and a c/g ratio of 3:2 (with the cement content at 18% and the desulfurized gypsum content at 12%). In this slag–gypsum–cement system, the combined activation of the slag by the cement and desulfurized gypsum exhibits a higher early compressive strength. This work utilized ultrafine tailings to prepare paste backfill that meets the engineering requirements, achieving the effective utilization of ultrafine tailings in mine backfilling projects.

Keywords: mine filling; ultrafine tailings; cemented paste backfill; mechanical properties; hydration process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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