Colloidal/Fine Particle Aspects of Mine Tailings

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to gather high-impact original articles as well as insightful review articles on mine tailings, including new innovations and best practices. Mine tailings, i.e., common mixtures of finely ground mineral particles and water, have been reported as a potential source of health and environmental problems [1,2], and there are over 12,000 tailings dams around the world [3]. They have also been identified as potential future resources, and thus, they can be reprocessed to recover the remaining value due to the technical advancement of characterization and processing. One of the unique characteristics of tailings is the presence of colloidal/fine particles that have been seen as a challenge for characterization and processing [4–8]. This Special Issue welcomes not only colloidal/fine particle aspects of mine tailings but also new developments on mine tailings as well as any related characterization and processing methodologies that can enhance the reprocessing and/or reduction of tailings. The keywords can be found below.

References

[1] International Council for Mining and Metals. About Tailings. https://www.icmm.com/en-gb/our-work/innovation-for-sustainability/tailings/about-tailings. Accessed on 4 June 2023.

[2] Han, Z.; Nhung, N.T.H.; Wu, Y.; Huang, M.; He, C.; Gao, F.; Lu, S.; Dodbiba, G.; Wei, Y.; Otsuki, A.; Fujita, T. Arsenic (III) oxidation and removal from artificial mine wastewater by blowing O₂ nanobubbles. J. Water Process Eng. 2022, 47, 102780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.102780.

[3] The Global Tailings Review. https://globaltailingsreview.org/. Accessed on 4 June 2023.

[4] Otsuki, A.; Bryant, G. Characterization of the interactions within fine particle mixtures in highly concentrated suspensions for advanced particle processing. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 2015, 226, 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2015.07.005.

[5] Otsuki, A.; Barry, S.; Fornasiero, D. Rheological studies of nickel oxide and quartz/hematite mixture systems. Adv. Powder Technol. 2011, 22, 471–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apt.2011.04.004.

[6] Otsuki, A. Coupling colloidal forces with yield stress of charged inorganic particle suspension: A review. Electrophoresis 2018, 39, 690–701. https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.201700314.

[7] Otsuki, A.; Chen, Y.; Zhao, Y. Characterization and beneficiation of complex ores for sustainable use of mineral resources: Refractory gold ore beneficiation as an example. Int. J. Soc. Mater. Eng. Resour. 2014, 20, 126–135. https://doi.org/10.5188/ijsmer.20.126.

[8] Sajjad, M.; Otsuki, A. Correlation between flotation and rheology of fine particle suspensions. Metals 2022, 12, 270. https://doi.org/10.3390/met12020270.

Dr. Akira Otsuki
Guest Editor

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• tailings and waste rock management, and associated water management Tailings dam and storage facilities
• tailings materials and their behavior
• reprocessing and/or reduction of tailings
• colloidal/fine particles and their suspension characterization
• flotation
• flocculation, dewatering, clay
• suspension rheology and particle-particle interactions
• environmental remediation
• soil mechanics