Enhancing fly ash utilization in backfill materials treated with CO_(2)carbonation under ambient conditions

The environmental concerns resulting from coal-fired power generation that produces large amounts of CO_(2)and fly ash are of great interest.To mitigate,this study aims to develop a novel carbonated CO_(2)-fly ash-based backfill(CFBF)material under ambient conditions.The performance of CFBF was investigated for different fly ash-cement ratios and compared with non-CO_(2)reacted samples.The fresh CFBF slurry conformed to the Herschel-Bulkley model with shear thinning characteristics.After carbonation,the yield stress of the fresh slurry increased significantly by lowering fly ash ratio due to gel formation.The setting times were accelerated,resulting in approximately 40.6%of increased early strength.The final strength decreased when incorporating a lower fly ash ratio(50%and 60%),which was related to the existing heterogeneous pores caused by rapid fluid loss.The strength increased with fly ash content above 70%because additional C-S(A)-H and silica gels were characterized to precipitate on the grain surface,so the binding between particles increased.The C-S(A)-H gel was developed through the pozzolanic reaction,where CaCO_(3)was the prerequisite calcium source obtained in the CO_(2)-fly ash reaction.Furthermore,the maximum CO_(2)uptake efficiency was 1.39 mg-CO_(2)/g-CFBF.The CFBF material is feasible to co-dispose CO_(2)and fly ash in the mine goaf as negative carbon backfill materials,and simultaneously mitigates the strata movement and water lost in post-subsurface mining.

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.

REQUIREMENT OF FLUIDITY OFHIGH WATER CONTENT MATERIALS FOR THE GETWAY-SIDE BACKFILLING TECHNIQUE

Through analyzing the effects of water consumption, diameter of solid particle, and flow vefority on the fluidity of high water content material slurry, the relatinnship among the fluidity, the isotropy of the slurry, and the pumping facilities applied in getway-side backfilling has been found. And the requirment of fluidity of high water content material for the design of getway-side back filling technique is put forward in the paper.

CO2 sequestration characteristics in the cementitious material based on gangue backfilling mining method

The increasing anthropogenic CO2 emission and global warming has challenged the China and other countries to seek new and better ways to meet the world’s increasing need for energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The overall proposition of this research is to develop a brand-new CO2 physical and chemical sequestration method by using solid waste of coal mining and cementitious material which are widely used for goaf backfilling in coal mining.This research developed a new testing system(constant temperature pressurized reaction chamber(CTPRC))to study the effects of different initial parameters on mineral carbonation such as different initial water-binder ratio,initial sample porosity and initial carbon dioxide pressure.The experimental results show that the CO2 consumption ratio is 15%,10%and 7%higher with relatively high initial water-binder ratio,initial sample porosity and initial CO2 pressure within 48 h.In addition,some physical and chemical evidence was found through the electron microscope scanning and XRD test to further explain the above test results.This proposed research will provide critical parameters for optimizing CO2 sequestration capacity in this cementitious backfilling material with forming agent.

A roof model and its application in solid backfilling mining

Through changing the axial load on backfilling material compaction test to reflect different overlying strata pressure on backfilling material, the stress-strain relations in the compaction process of backfilling material under the geological condition can be obtained. Based on the characteristic of overlying strata movement in backfill mining, a model of roof thin plate is established. By introducing the stress-strain relation in compaction process into the model and using RIZT method to analyze the bending deformation of roof, the bending deflection and stress distribution can be obtained. The results show that the maximum roof subsidence and maximum tensile stress occurring at the center are 255 mm and5 MPa, respectively. Tensile fracture of roof under the geological condition of Dongping Mine did not occur. The dynamic measurement results of roof in Dongping Mine verify the theoretical result from the aforementioned model, thereby suggesting the roof mechanical model is reliable. The roof thin plate model based on the compaction characteristic of backfilling material in this study is of importance to research on backfill mining theories and application of backfilling material characteristics.

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.

Mass ratio design based on compaction properties of backfill materials

The backfill-mining mass ratio is the ratio of the mass of the backfill materials in the goaf to the mass of the produced raw coal during solid backfill mining and it is regarded as a direct control index of the backfill effect in solid backfill mining. To design the backfill-mining mass ratio in a solid backfill mining panel, the backfill-mining mass ratio was defined on the basis of the basic principle of solid backfill mining. In addition, the density-stress relationship of backfill materials under compaction was obtained for five types of materials to derive a design formula for backfill-mining mass ratio. Moreover, the 6304-1 backfill panel under the large-scale dam of Ji′ning No. 3 coal mine was taken as an engineering case to design the backfill-mining mass ratio. In this way, it is found that the designed backfill-mining mass ratio is 1.22, while the mean value of the measured backfill-mining mass ratio is 1.245. Besides, the maximum roof subsidence is only 340 mm which effectively guarantees the backfill effect in the panel and control of strata movement and surface subsidence.

Fluid-Related Performances and Compressive Strength of Clinker-Free Cementitious Backfill Material Based on Phosphate Tailings

Phosphate tailings are usually used as backfill material in order to recycle tailings resources.This study considers the effect of the mix proportions of clinker-free binders on the fluidity,compressive strength and other key performances of cementitious backfill materials based on phosphate tailings.In particular,three solid wastes,phosphogypsum(PG),semi-aqueous phosphogypsum(HPG)and calcium carbide slag(CS),were selected to activate wet ground granulated blast furnace slag(WGGBS)and three different phosphate tailings backfill materials were prepared.Fluidity,rheology,settling ratio,compressive strength,water resistance and ion leaching behavior of backfill materials were determined.According to the results,when either PG or HPG is used as the sole activator,the fluidity properties of the materials are enhanced.Phosphate tailings backfill material activated with PG present the largest fluidity and the lowest yield stress.Furthermore,the backfill material’s compressive strength is considerably increased to 2.9 MPa at 28 days after WGGBS activation using a mix of HPG and CS,all with a settling ratio of only 1.15 percent.Additionally,all the three ratios of binder have obvious solidification effects on heavy metal ions Cu and Zn,and P in phosphate tailings.

Reinforcing effects of polypropylene on energy absorption and fracturing of cement-based tailings backfill under impact loading

Polypropylene(PP)fiber-reinforced cement-based tailings backfill(FRCTB)is a green compound material with superior crack resistance and has good prospects for application in underground mining.However,FRCTB exhibits susceptibility to dynamic events,such as impact ground pressure and blast vibrations.This paper investigates the energy and crack distribution behavior of FRCTB under dynamic impact,considering the height/diameter(H/D)effect.Split Hopkinson pressure bar,industrial computed tomography scan,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)experiments were carried out on six types of FRCTB.Laboratory outcomes confirmed fiber aggregation at the bottom of specimens.When H/D was less than 0.8,the proportion of PP fibers distributed along theθangle direction of80°-90°increased.For the total energy,all samples presented similar energy absorption,reflectance,and transmittance.However,a rise in H/D may cause a rise in the energy absorption rate of FRCTB during the peak phase.A positive correlation existed between the average strain rate and absorbed energy per unit volume.The increase in H/D resulted in a decreased crack volume fraction of FRCTB.When the H/D was greater than or equal to 0.7,the maximum crack volume fraction of FRCTB was observed close to the incidence plane.Radial cracks were present only in the FRCTB with an H/D ratio of 0.5.Samples with H/D ratios of 0.5 and 0.6 showed similar distributions of weakly and heavily damaged areas.PP fibers can limit the emergence and expansion of cracks by influencing their path.SEM observations revealed considerable differences in the bonding strengths between fibers and the FRCTB.Fibers that adhered particularly well to the substrate were attracted together with the hydration products adhering to surfaces.These results show that FRCTB is promising as a sustainable and green backfill for determining the design properties of mining with backfill.

Experimental study on thermal and mechanical properties of tailings-based cemented paste backfill with CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O/expanded vermiculite shape stabilized phase change materials

CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O/expanded vermiculite shape stabilized phase change materials(CEV)was prepared by atmospheric impregnation method.Using gold mine tailings as aggregate of cemented paste backfill(CPB)material,the CPB with CEV added was prepared,and the specific heat capacity,thermal conductivity,and uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of CPB with different cement-tailing ratios and CEV addition ratios were tested,the influence of the above variables on the thermal and mechanical properties of CPB was analyzed.The results show that the maximum encapsulation capacity of expanded vermiculite for CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O is about 60%,and the melting and solidification enthalpies of CEV can reach 98.87 J/g and 97.56 J/g,respectively.For the CPB without CEV,the specific heat capacity,thermal conductivity,and UCS decrease with the decrease of cement-tailing ratio.For the CPB with CEV added,with the increase of CEV addition ratio,the specific heat capacity increases significantly,and the sensible heat storage capacity and latent heat storage capacity can be increased by at least 10.74%and 218.97%respectively after adding 12%CEV.However,the addition of CEV leads to the increase of pores,and the thermal conductivity and UCS both decrease with the increase of CEV addition.When cement-tailing ratio is 1:8 and 6%,9%,and 12%of CEV are added,the 28-days UCS of CPB is less than 1 MPa.Considering the heat storage capacity and cost price of backfill,the recommended proportion scheme of CPB material presents cement-tailing ratio of 1:6 and 12%CEV,and the most recommended heat storage/release temperature cycle range of CPB with added CEV is from 20 to 40℃.This work can provide theoretical basis for the utilization of heat storage backfill in green mines.

A state-of-the-art review on delayed expansion of cemented paste backfill materials

Utilizing delayed expansion cemented paste backfill materials(DECPB) in mine backfill operations offers an effective solution to the challenge of achieving proper contact between the in-situ cemented backfill mass and the roof in mined-out areas(backfill-roof contact).This article presents recent progress in both theoretical and experimental research concerning DECPB.The types and mechanisms of expansive additives,including expansive agents,foaming agents,and expansive mineral materials relevant to DECPB,are explained,along with their impact on the expansive properties and mechanical characteristics of DECPB.The composition,material characteristics,preparation methods,and controlled release mechanisms of microcapsules are analyzed.Two methods for measuring the volume change rate of paste backfill slurries are discussed.Research indicates that an appropriate content of expansive additives not only enhances the expansive properties of cemented paste backfill materials but also contributes to improving their mechanical properties.Chemical foaming agents and bentonite are found to be more suitable for preparing DECPB compared to expansive agents.The delayed expansion of cemented paste backfill material is influenced by microcapsules,with their wall materials,preparation parameters,and the alkaline slurry environment affecting their controlled release mechanism.Developing and optimizing precise measurement devices and methods forfor the volume change rate of cemented paste backfill materials is essential requirement for studying the performance of DECPB.Combining delayed expansion technology with retarding techniques in cemented paste backfill materials can provide a reliable solution for achieving proper backfill-roof contact in the future.

Physical model investigation on effects of drainage condition and cement addition on consolidation behavior of tailings slurry within backfilled stopes

Estimation of stressses within the tailings slurry during self-weight consolidation is a critical issue for cost-effective barricade design and efficient backfill planning in underground mine stopes.This process requires a good understanding of self-weight consolidation behaviors of the tailings slurry within practical stopes,where many factors can have significant effects on the consolidation,including drainage condition and cement addition.In this paper,the prepared tailings slurry with different cement contents(0,4.76wt%,and 6.25wt%)was poured into1.2 m-high columns,which allowed three drainage scenarios(undrained,partial lateral drainage near the bottom part,and full lateral drainage boundaries)to investigate the effects of drainage condition and cement addition on the consolidation behavior of the tailings slurry.The consolidation behavior was analyzed in terms of pore water pressure(PWP),settlement,volume of drainage water,and residual water content.The results indicate that increasing the length of the drainage boundary or cement content aids in PWP dissipation.In addition,constructing an efficient drainage boundary was more favorable to PWP dissipation than increasing cement addition.The final stable PWP on the column floor was not sensitive to cement addition.The final settlement of uncemented tailings slurry was independent of drainage conditions,and that of cemented tailings slurry decreased with the increase in cement addition.Notably,more pore water can drain out from the cemented tailings slurry than the uncemented tailings slurry during consolidation.

Systematic review of mixing technology for recycling waste tailings as cemented paste backfill in mines in China

The development of industry is inseparable from the support of mining.However,mining processes consume a large amount of energy,and increased tailing emissions can have a significant impact on the environment.In the past few decades,the mining industry developed many technologies that are related to mineral energy management,of which cemented paste backfill(CPB)is one of the representative technologies.CPB has been successfully applied to mine ground control and tailings management.In CPB technology,the mixing process is the key to achieving materials with good final quality and controlled properties.However,in the preparation process,the mixed homogeneity of the CPB is difficult to achieve because of fine tailings,high solid volume fraction,and high viscosity.Most research focused on the effect of mixing ingredients on CPB properties rather than on the preparation process of the CPB.Therefore,improving the performance and reducing the production cost of CPB by optimizing the mixing process are important.This review summarizes the current studies on the mixing technology of CPB and its application status in China.Then,it compares the advantages and disadvantages of multiple mixing equipment and discusses the latest results and research hotspots in paste preparation.Finally,it concludes the challenges and development trends of mixing technology on the basis of the relevant application cases in China to promoting cement-based material mixing technology development.

Carbonate-activated binder modified by supplementary materials for mine backfill and the associated heavy metal immobilization effects

Cemented paste backfill(CPB)is one of the effective methods for resource utilization of tailings,but the high cost of ordinary Portland cement(OPC)limits its utilization.Considering the poor performance of Na_(2)CO_(3)-activated binders,in this work,supplementary materials,including CaO,MgO,and calcined layered double hydroxide(CLDH),were used to modify their properties with the aim of finding an alternative binder to OPC.Isothermal calorimetry,X-ray diffraction,and thermogravimetric analyses were conducted to explore the reaction kinetics and phase assembles of the binder.The properties of the CPB samples,such as flowability,strength development,and heavy metal immobilization effects,were then investigated.The results show that the coupling utilization of MgO and CLDH showed good performance.The strength of the Mg_(2)-CLDH_(3) sample was approximately 2.94 MPa after curing for 56 d,which was higher than that of the OPC-based sample.Moreover the cost of the modified Na_(2)CO_(3)-activated binder was lower than that of the OPC-based binder.Modified sample showed satisfactory heavy metal immobilization effects.These findings demonstrate that carbonate-activated binder modified by supplementary materials can be suitable in CPB.

Effect of Natural Zeolite on Pore Structure of Cemented Uranium Tailings Backfill

The use of some environmental functional minerals as backfill-modified materials may improve the leaching resistance of cemented uranium tailings backfill created from alkali-activated slag(CUTB),but these materials may participate in the hydration reaction of the cementitious materials,which could have a certain impact on the pore structure of the CUTB,thus affecting its mechanical properties and leaching resistance.In this paper,natural zeolite is selected as the backfill-modified material,and it is added to alkali-activated slag paste(AASP)and CUTB in cementitious material proportions of 4%,8%,12%,and 16%to prepare AASP mixtures and CUTB mixtures containing environmental functional minerals.After the addition of natural zeolite,the porosity of the CUTB generally increases,but when the content is 4%,the porosity decreases to 22.30%.The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of the CUTB generally decreases,but the decrease is the smallest when the content is 4%,and the UCS is 12.37 MPa.The addition of natural zeolite mainly reduces the number of fine pores in the CUTB,but the pores with relaxation times T_(2)of greater than 10 ms account for about 10%of the total pores,and there are a certain number of large pores in the CUTB.The main product of alkali-activated slag is calcium(alumino)silicate hydrate(C-(A)-S-H gel).When natural zeolite is added,the hydration products develop towards denser products with a high degree of polymerization and the formation of low polymerization products is reduced.This affects the internal fracture pores of the hydration products and the interface pores of the CUTB,has an irregular effect on the pore characteristics of the CUTB,and influences the UCS.

Experimental study on dynamic mechanical property of cemented tailings backfill under SHPB impact loading

Cemented tailings backfill(CTB) have increasingly been used in recent years to improve the stability of mining stopes in deep underground mines. Deep mining processes are often associated with rock bursting and high-speed dynamic loading conditions. Therefore, it is important to investigate the characteristics and dynamic mechanical behavior of CTB. This paper presents the results of dynamic tests on CTB specimens with different cement and solid contents using a split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB). The results showed that some CTB specimens exhibited one to two lower stress peaks after reaching dynamic peak stress before they completely failed. The greater the cement-to-tailings ratio is, the more obvious the strain reaction. This property mainly manifested as follows. First,the dynamic peak stress increased with the increase of the cement-to-tailings ratio when the impact velocity was fixed. Second, the dynamic peak stress had a quadratic relationship with the average stress rate. Third, the cement-to-tailings ratio could enhance the increase rate of dynamic peak stress with strain rate. In addition, the dynamic strength enhancement factor K increased with the increase of strain rate, and its value was larger than that of the rock samples. The failure modes of CTB specimens under low-speed impact were tensile failure and X conjugate shear failure, where were nearly the same as those under static uniaxial and triaxial compression. The CTB specimens were crushed and broken under critical strain, a failure mode similar to that of low-strength concrete. The results of the experimental research can improve the understanding of the dynamic mechanical properties of CTB and guide the strength design of deep mining backfills.

Coupled effect of cement hydration and temperature on hydraulic behavior of cemented tailings backfill

Cemented tailings backfill(CTB) is made by mixing cement, tailings and water together, thus cement hydration and water seepage flow are the two crucial factors affecting the quality of CTB. Cement hydration process can release significant amount of heat to raise the temperature of CTB and in turn increase the rate of cement hydration. Meanwhile, the progress of cement hydration consumes water and produces hydration products to change the pore structures within CTB, which further influences the hydraulic behavior of CTB. In order to understand the hydraulic behavior of CTB, a numerical model was developed by coupling the hydraulic,thermal and hydration equations. This model was then implemented into COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate the evolutions of temperature and water seepage flow within CTB versus curing time. The predicted outcomes were compared with correspondent experimental results, proving the validity and availability of this model. By taking advantage of the validated model, effects of various initial CTB and curing temperatures, cement content, and CTB's geometric shapes on the hydraulic behavior of CTB were demonstrated numerically. The presented conclusions can contribute to preparing more environmentally friendly CTB structures.

Long-term mechanical behavior and characteristics of cemented tailings backfill through impact loading

Cemented tailings backfill(CTB)structures are important components of underground mine stopes.It is important to investigate the characteristics and dynamic behavior of CTB materials because they are susceptible to disturbance by dynamic loading,such as excavation and blasting.In this study,the authors present the results of a series of Split-Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB)single and cyclic impact loading tests on CTB specimens to investigate the long-term dynamic mechanical properties of CTB.The stress-strain relationship,dynamic strength,and dynamic failure characteristics of CTB specimens are analyzed and discussed to provide valuable conclusions that will improve our knowledge of CTB long-term mechanical behavior and characteristics.For instance,the dynamic peak stress under cyclic impact loading is approximately twice that under single impact loading,and the CTB specimens are less prone to fracture when cyclically loaded.These findings and conclusions can provide a new set of references for the stability analysis of CTB materials and help guide mine designers in reducing the amount of binding agents and the associated mining cost.

An analytical solution to estimate the settlement of tailings or backfill slurry by considering the sedimentation and consolidation

A common and important task in mining industry is to estimate the settlement or final volume of the tailings or backfill associated with sedimentation and self-weight consolidation. Up to now however, most existing analytical solutions were developed by only considering the settlement induced by consolidation. In this paper, the process of shrinkage tests has been compared with those of sedimentation and consolidation. It was shown that the pore water and particles movement in the sedimentation are very similar to that in the normal shrinkage. The void ratio at the end of sedimentation is thus for the first time considered to be equal to the void ratio at desaturation onset of shrinkage tests. An analytical solution was then proposed to estimate the settlement of tailings or backfill by considering the sedimentation and consolidation. To validate the proposed analytical solution, tailing deposition tests were conducted in two molds to simulate the tailings impoundment and underground mine stope. The required parameters were obtained through shrinkage and consolidation tests. Good agreements were obtained between the measured settlements and those calculated by the proposed solution. The proposed solution can thus be considered as validated and used to evaluate the settlement of tailings or backfill slurry.

A multiphysics-viscoplastic cap model for simulating blast response of cemented tailings backfill

Although a large number of previous researches have significantly contributed to the understanding of the quasi-static mechanical behavior of cemented tailings backfill,an evolutive porous medium used in underground mine cavities,very few efforts have been made to improve the knowledge on its response under sudden dynamic loading during the curing process.In fact,there is a great need for such information given that cemented backfill structures are often subjected to blast loadings due to mine exploitations.In this study,a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical(THMC)-viscoplastic cap model is developed to describe the behavior of cementing mine backfill material under blast loading.A THMC model for cemented backfill is adopted to evaluate its behavior and evolution of its properties in curing processes with coupled thermal,hydraulic,mechanical and chemical factors.Then,the model is coupled to a Perzyna type of viscoplastic model with a modified smooth surface cap envelope and a variable bulk modulus,in order to reasonably capture the nonlinear and rate-dependent behaviors of the cemented tailings backfill under blast loading.All of the parameters required for the variable-modulus viscoplastic cap model were obtained by applying the THMC model to reproducing evolution of cemented paste backfill(CPB)properties in the curing process.Thus,the behavior of hydrating cemented backfill under high-rate impacts can be evaluated under any curing time of concern.The validation results of the proposed model indicate a good agreement between the experimental and the simulated results.The authors believe that the proposed model will contribute to a better understanding of the performance of hydrating cemented backfill under blasting,and also to practical risk management of backfill structures associated with such a dynamic condition.