Valorization of mining waste and tailings through paste backfilling solution, Imiter operation, Morocco

Mine waste and process tailings storage is one of important challenge for which mining operations are increasingly confronted. Treatment discharges of plants and main part of waste rock development are generally stored on surface areas. The volume and chemical characteristics of these materials generate serious problem for required storage spaces and mainly environmental degradation. Paste backfill(PBF) is one of ingenious solutions to minimize the quantity of tailings to store. PBF is basically defined as a combination of mine processing tailings, binder, and water mixing. The purpose of this paper is to present backfilling components characterization and formula verification for a waste valorization solution through paste backfilling technology in Imiter operation. Obtained results and realized analysis demonstrate PBF conformity and adequacy with assigned underground functions. However the studied recipe can be more ameliorated to obtain an optimal mixture ensuring the required mechanical strength.

A numerical evaluation of continuous backfilling in cemented paste backfilled stope through an application of wick drains

Cemented paste backfill （CPB） is gaining popularity in many underground mines worldwide. Sufficient water is added into CPB to make a flowable material for pipe transportation. Barricades are built near the drawpoints to prevent in-rush of the fill slurry. To avoid barricade failures resulting from excessive backfill pressures, backfilling is typically performed with a plug pour followed by a final pour. The interval between the two pours should be shortened or removed to increase mining productivity and avoid pipe clogging. Recently, Li proposed to apply wick drains in backfilled stopes to promote drainage and consolidation. The preliminary simulations by considering an instantaneous filling indicated that the drainage of CPB can be significantly accelerated by using wick drains. Barricade was not considered. Here, some new numerical modeUings are presented with more representative filling sequences, stope geometry, and different draining configurations. The results illustrate that the stope can be backfilled continuously by using wick drains.

Movement and deformation laws of the overlying strata in paste filling stope

We combined the similar simulation with numerical simulation to analyze the movement and deforma- tion features of overlying strata caused by paste backfill mining, study the movement and deformation laws of the overlying strata in paste backfill mining, structural movement of the stope strata as well as the stope stress distribution laws. Furthermore, authors also explored the key factors to the movement and deformation of the overlying strata in paste backfill mining. The results indicate that a caving zone existed in the bending zone only in the overlying strata of the paste backfill mining. Compared with the roof caving mining, the degree of stress concentration and area of influence in the paste filling stope were apparently smaller. And the degree of destruction and area of the overlying strata decreased prominently. Also, there was no apparent strata behavior in the working face. Lastly, the filling ratio was the key to control the movement and deformation of the overlying strata. Combined with a specific engineering example, the author proved the reliability of the simulation results and provided a theoretical basis for the further extension of the paste backfill mining.