Reconstruction of broken Si–O–Si bonds in iron ore tailings (IOTs) in concrete

This paper reports a study on the reconstruction of broken Si O Si bonds in iron ore tailings (IOTs) in concrete. Limestone and IOTs were used to investigate the influence of different types of coarse aggregates on the compressive strengths of concrete samples. The dif- ferences in interfacial transition zones (ITZs) between aggregate and paste were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ener- gy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Meanwhile, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) were used to study microscopic changes in limestone and IOTs powders in a simple alkaline environment that simulated cement. The results show that the compressive strengths of IOTs concrete or paste are higher than those of limestone concrete or paste under identical conditions. The Ca/Si atom ratios in the ITZs of IOTs con- crete samples are lower than those of limestone concrete;the diffraction peak of the calcium silicate phase at 2θ = 29.5°, as well as the bands of Si O bonds shifting to lower wavenumbers, indicates reconstruction of the broken Si-O-Si bonds on the surfaces of IOTs with Ca(OH)2.

Effect of particle gradation characteristics on yield stress of cemented paste backfill

Along with slurry concentration and particle density,particle size distribution(PSD)of tailings also exerts a significant influence on the yield stress of cemented paste,a non-Newtonian fluid.In this work,a paste stability coefficient(PSC)was proposed to characterize paste gradation and better reveal its connection to yield stress.This coefficient was proved beneficial to the construction of a unified rheological model,applicable to different materials in different mines,so as to promote the application of rheology in the pipeline transportation of paste.From the results,yield stress showed an exponential growth with increasing PSC,which reflected the proportion of solid particle concentration to the packing density of granular media in a unit volume of slurry,and could represent the properties of both slurry and granular media.It was found that slurry of low PSC contained extensive pores,generally around 20μm,encouraging free flow of water,constituting a relatively low yield stress.In contrast,slurry of high PSC had a compact and quite stable honeycomb structure,with pore sizes generally<5μm,causing the paste to overcome a higher yield stress to flow.

Cementitious property of NaAlO2-activated Ge slag as cement supplement

Germanium(Ge),a waste residue leaching from zinc(Zn)smelting process,has potential cementitious properties and could be recycled as a cement supplement activated by chemical reagents.In this work,a test was conducted to determine the hydration properties of Ge slag-cement-based composites with Ge slag(GS)/ordinary Portland cement(PC)contents of 0wt%,5wt%,10wt%,15wt%,20wt%,and 25wt% and water-to-binder ratio(w/b)of 0.4.The activators Ca(OH)2,AlCl3,NaAlO2,and Na2CO3 were mixed under 1wt%,2wt%,3wt%,and 4wt% dosages of GS weight.The composition and microstructure of the hydration products were investigated by the combined approaches of X-ray diffraction(XRD),thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry(TG-DSC),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS).First,the GS cementitious property is attributed to the high content of CaSO4·2H2O.Second,the activators affected the acceleration performance in the following order:NaAlO2,Na2CO3,AlCl3,and Ca(OH)2.More importantly,the 28-day unconfined compressive strength(UCS)is 45.34 MPa at the optimum formula of 0.6wt% NaAlO2,15wt% GS,and 85wt% PC,which is 9.16% higher than the control.Thus,NaAlO2 is beneficial for the ettringite(AFt)generation,resulting in the C-S-H structure compaction.However,the Zn^2+ residue inhibited the AFt formation,representing an important challenge to the strength growth with curing age.Consequently,the GS could be recycled as a supplement to the cement under the activator NaAlO2.

Research progress in enhanced bioleaching of copper sulfides under the intervention of microbial communities

Compared with the traditional pyrometallurgical process, copper bioleaching has distinctive advantages of high efficiency and lower cost, enabling efficiently extracts of valuable metal resources from copper sulfides. Moreover, during long-term industrial applications of bioleaching, many regulatory enhancements and technological methods are used to accelerate the interfacial reactions. With advances in microbial genetic and sequencing technologies, bacterial communities and their mechanisms in bioleaching systems have been revealed gradually. The bacterial proliferation and dissolution of sulfide ores by a bacterial community depends on the pH, temperature, oxygen, reaction product regulation, additives, and passivation substances, among other factors. The internal relationship among the influencing factors and the succession of microorganism diversity are discussed and reviewed in this paper. This paper is intended to provide a good reference for studies related to enhanced bioleaching.

Accelerating leaching of copper ore with surfactant and the analysis of reaction kinetics

To solve the problem of low permeability and lower extraction rates of high-mud ores, a surfactant was added as a penetrant to the pregnant leaching solution during column leaching tests. On the basis of the theories of physical chemistry and seepage flow mechanics, the mechanism by which seepage is enhanced under the effects of the surfactant was analyzed. The results show that the action modes of the surfactant were divided into four aspects: changing the wettability of the ore, reducing the viscosity of the leaching solution, adsorbing onto the surface of ore, and enhancing the permeability effect. The findings of column leaching tests demonstrated that permeability was substantially improved by the surfactant. In the later period of leaching, the permeability coefficient was two times higher than that of the control group. Meanwhile, the ore extraction rate increased by approximately 10%. During the leaching process, the surface tension of the solution did not substantially change, and that of the solution with surfactant increased slightly. The kinetics analysis of ore column leaching illustrated that the leaching processes were controlled by both internal diffusion(principal factor) and chemical reaction.

Use of high-resolution X-ray computed tomography and 3D image analysis to quantify mineral dissemination and pore space in oxide copper ore particles

Mineral dissemination and pore space distribution in ore particles are important features that influence heap leaching performance. To quantify the mineral dissemination and pore space distribution of an ore particle, a cylindrical copper oxide ore sample (I center dot 4.6 mm x 5.6 mm) was scanned using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT), a nondestructive imaging technology, at a spatial resolution of 4.85 mu m. Combined with three-dimensional (3D) image analysis techniques, the main mineral phases and pore space were segmented and the volume fraction of each phase was calculated. In addition, the mass fraction of each mineral phase was estimated and the result was validated with that obtained using traditional techniques. Furthermore, the pore phase features, including the pore size distribution, pore surface area, pore fractal dimension, pore centerline, and the pore connectivity, were investigated quantitatively. The pore space analysis results indicate that the pore size distribution closely fits a log-normal distribution and that the pore space morphology is complicated, with a large surface area and low connectivity. This study demonstrates that the combination of HRXCT and 3D image analysis is an effective tool for acquiring 3D mineralogical and pore structural data.

Reconstructed rheometer for direct monitoring of dewatering performance and torque in tailings thickening process

To further clarify the dewatering performance and torque evolution during the tailings thickening process,a self-made rake was connected to a rheometer to monitor the shear stress and torque.The dewatering performance of the total tailings was greatly improved to a solid mass fraction of 75.33%in 240 min.The dewatering process could be divided into three stages:the rapid torque growth period,damping torque growth period,and constant torque thickening zone.The machine restart was found to have a significant effect on the rake torque;it could result in rake blockage.Furthermore,the simultaneous evolution of the torque and solid mass fraction of thickened tailings was analyzed.A relationship between the torque and the solid mass fraction was established,which followed a power function.Both the experimental and theoretical results provide a reference for the deep cone thickener design and operation to enhance the dewatering performance.

Changes in underflow solid fraction and yield stress in paste thickeners by circulation

The trouble-free and efficient operation of paste thickeners requires an optimal design and the cooperation of each component.When underflow discharging is suspended,alleviating the vast torque that the remaining solids within the thickeners may place on rakes mainly lies in the circulation unit.The mechanism of this unit was analyzed,and a mathematical model was developed to describe the changes in underflow solid content and yield stress.The key parameters of the circulation unit,namely,the height and flow rate,were varied to test its performance in the experiments with a self-designed laboratorial thickening system.Results show that the circulation unit is valid in reducing underflow solid fraction and yield stress to a reasonable extent,and the model could be used to describe its efficiency at different heights and flow rates.A suitable design and application of the circulation unit contributes to a cost-effective operation of paste thickeners.

Visualization of flow behavior in ore-segregated packed beds with fine interlayers

Ore particles,especially fine interlayers,commonly segregate in heap stacking,leading to undesirable flow paths and changeable flow velocity fields of packed beds.Computed tomography(CT),COMSOL Multiphysics,and MATLAB were utilized to quantify pore structures and visualize flow behavior inside packed beds with segregated fine interlayers.The formation of fine interlayers was accompanied with the segregation of particles in packed beds.Fine particles reached the upper position of the packed beds during stacking.CT revealed that the average porosity of fine interlayers(24.21%)was significantly lower than that of the heap packed by coarse ores(37.42%),which directly affected the formation of flow paths.Specifically,the potential flow paths in the internal regions of fine interlayers were undeveloped.Fluid flowed and bypassed the fine interlayers and along the sides of the packed beds.Flow velocity also indicated that the flow paths easily gathered in the pore throat where flow velocity(1.8×10^-5 m/s)suddenly increased.Fluid stagnant regions with a flow velocity lower than 0.2×10^-5 m/s appeared in flow paths with a large diameter.

Early-age strength property improvement and stability analysis of unclassified tailing paste backfill materials

High-density tailings,small cementitious materials,and additives are used for backfill materials with poor early compressive strength(ECS),which may greatly affect the mining and backfill cycle,to prepare paste backfill materials(PBMs)with a high ECS.The effects and mechanisms of different early strength agents on the property of PBM are investigated.The action mechanism of additives on the properties of PBM is also analyzed through X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope,and energy dispersive spectrometry.Results show that the effects of single-component additives 1,3,and 6 are better than those of the other additives,and their optimal dosages are 3wt%,1wt%,and 3wt%,respectively.The optimum multicomponent combinations are 1wt%of additive 1 and 1.5wt%of additive 6.The ECS of the paste with additive 10 increases to a greater extent than that of the other pastes because of the synergistic action of additive 1 with additive 6.The hydration product of Ca(OH)2 is consumed,and more C-S-H gels are generated with the addition of additives to paste.Tailings particles,ettringite crystals,and gels intertwined with one another form a dense net-like structure that fills the pores.This structure can significantly improve the ECS of PBM.

Simulation of solute transportation within porous particles during the bioleaching process

A mathematical model, accounting for the sulfuric acid and ferric ions diffusion and the copper sulfide mineral leaching process, was developed for an ore particle by considering its porous structure. It was simulated with the simulation tool COMSOL Multiphysics. The simulation results show that the highest acid and ferric concentrations near the particle surface are apparent, while the concentrations in the central particle increase slightly as the less-porous ore core with low permeability prevents the oxidation from penetrating. The extraction of the mineral near the particle surface is the maximum, mainly because of ample sulfuric acid, ferric ions, bacteria, and oxygen available for the leaching process. Because of low oxidation concentration in the central part of the particle, the reaction rate and copper sulphide conversion are small. The simulation shows good agreement with the experimental results.

Agglomeration and leaching behaviors of copper oxides with different chemical binders

The chemical binder is one of the critical factors affecting ore agglomeration behavior and leaching efficiency.In this study,we in-vestigated the effect of the type of binder and mass fraction of the H_(2)SO_(4)solution used on the curing,soaking,and leaching behavior of ag-glomerations.The results revealed that Portland cement(3CaO·SiO_(2),2CaO·SiO_(2),and 3CaO·Al_(2)O_(3))was the optimal binder for obtaining a well-shaped,stable agglomeration structure.A higher extraction rate was achieved when using Portland cement than that obtained using sodi-um silicate,gypsum,or acid-proof cement.An excessive geometric mean size is not conducive to obtaining well-shaped agglomerations and desirable porosity.Using computed tomography(CT)and MATLAB,the porosity of two-dimensional CT images in sample concentrations L1-L3 was observed to increase at least 4.5vol%after acid leaching.Ore agglomerations began to be heavily destroyed and even to disinteg-rate when the sulfuric acid solution concentration was higher than 30 g/L,which was caused by the excessive accumulation of reaction products and residuals.

Effects of bioleaching on the mechanical and chemical properties of waste rocks

Bioleaching processes cause dramatic changes in the mechanical and chemical properties of waste rocks, and play an important role in metal recovery and dump stability. This study focused on the characteristics of waste rocks subjected to bioleaching. A series of ex- periments were conducted to investigate the evolution of rock properties during the bioleaching process. Mechanical behaviors of the leached waste rocks, such as failure patterns, normal stress, shear strength, and cohesion were determined through mechanical tests. The results of SEM imaging show considerable differences in the surface morphology of leached rocks located at different parts of the dump. The minera- logical content of the leached rocks reflects the extent of dissolution and precipitation during bioleaching. The dump porosity and rock size change under the effect of dissolution, precipitation, and clay transportation. The particle size of the leached rocks decreased due to the loss of rock integrity and the conversion of dry precipitation into fine particles.

Unsaturated flow and solute transport in a porous column using spherical ore particles

This paper dealt with the development of a two-dimensional （2D） mathematical model for column leaching and confirmed the important simulation parameters through experiment. The unsaturated state of the variably saturated flow column and the solute transport of copper ions were studied during leaching. The fluid flow problem was handled using the Richards equation on the premise of an ambient pressure column air, where the van Genuchten formulas were applied to define the nonlinear relationships of pressure head with the retention and permeability properties. The ore column permeability test gave a varied hydraulic conductivity, which was analyzed in the model. In the solute transport problem, the copper ion concentration was solved using the advection-diffusion-reaction equation whose reaction term was determined by the joint analysis of experimental copper leaching rate and the shrinking core model. Particle-and column-scale leaching tests were carried out to illustrate the difference and connection of copper extraction in both processes. This fluid flow and solute transport cou-pled model was determined through the finite element method using the numerical simulation software, COMSOL Multiphysics.