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Minerals
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Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials
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Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 6095

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shiyu Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mining Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: filling mining; solid waste resource utilization; grouting materials
Prof. Dr. Erol Yilmaz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Division, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Fener, Rize 53100, Turkey
Interests: mining; tailings valorization; backfill techniques; geotechnique; construction materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chen Hou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of the Resource and civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: cemented tailing backfill; solid waste resource utilization; tailing recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Solid waste from the mining and metallurgy industry mainly includes that discharged from mining, mineral processing, smelting, molding, and other processes, such as tailings, waste ores, waste residues, strips, etc. The stockpiling of this waste not only encroaches on a large amount of land resources but also causes serious pollution of the soil, water system, and other environments. The discharge and resource consumption of mining and metallurgical solid waste is a major problem that mining enterprises need to solve urgently; it has become a global bottleneck restricting the sustainable development and use of mineral resources and the healthy development of the mining industry. With the continuous progress of industrial technology and the strengthening protection of the ecological environment, mine backfill technology can not only meet the maximum efficiency of mining mineral resources but also coordinate the disposal of mining and metallurgical waste. On the one hand, this waste can be used as a filling aggregate for gob filling; on the other hand, waste residues with potential cementitious reactivity can be used to prepare new composite cementitious materials for backfill to replace cement. Using mining and metallurgical solid waste to prepare new composite filling cementitious materials has become a hot spot in the research on waste resource utilization.

Dr. Shiyu Zhang
Prof. Dr. Erol Yilmaz
Dr. Chen Hou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metallurgy waste
  • backfill
  • cementitious materials
  • low carbon
  • resource utilization
  • tailings
  • heavy metals
  • environmental assessment

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 9880 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fiber Types and Dosages on the Properties of Modified Aluminum Dross–Coal Gangue-Based Foam Filling Materials
by Keyuan Yin, Kai Wang, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Yulong Jiang and Shiyu Zhang
Minerals 2025, 15(2), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15020106 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Fiber reinforcement offers a promising solution to improve the mechanical performance and durability of cement-based foam backfill (CFB), addressing critical issues such as brittleness and poor crack resistance under high-stress conditions. This study investigates the effects of polypropylene and polyacrylonitrile fibers, at varying [...] Read more.
Fiber reinforcement offers a promising solution to improve the mechanical performance and durability of cement-based foam backfill (CFB), addressing critical issues such as brittleness and poor crack resistance under high-stress conditions. This study investigates the effects of polypropylene and polyacrylonitrile fibers, at varying contents and lengths, on the mechanical and flow properties of CFB. A series of experiments, including slump tests, rheology analysis, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests, pore structure analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were conducted to comprehensively evaluate fiber reinforcement mechanisms. The results show that increasing fiber content and length reduced fluidity due to fiber entanglement, while significantly enhancing mechanical properties through anchoring effects and network formation. After 28 days of curing, UCS increased by 208.2% with 2 wt% polypropylene fibers and 215.3% with 1 wt% polyacrylonitrile fibers (both at 6 mm length). Fiber-reinforced CFB demonstrated improved structural integrity and crack resistance, with failure modes transitioning from brittle to ductile. These findings highlight the potential of fiber-reinforced CFB to deliver durable, crack-resistant, and efficient mine backfill solutions, contributing to enhanced safety and sustainability in underground mining operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials)
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16 pages, 5383 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Preparation of Cementitious Materials Through the Activation of Lead—Zinc Tailings
by Xu Wu, Xiuping Xu, Shuqin Li, Xiangmei Li, Dejian Pei, Xiaojun Yang, Xiankun Yu and Xiaoman Zhu
Minerals 2024, 14(12), 1215; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14121215 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 829
Abstract
The pozzolanic activity of lead–zinc tailings (LZTs) was enhanced through mechanical grinding, enabling the preparation of a lead–zinc tailing based composite cementitious material (LZTCC) by combining LZTs with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), steel slag (SS), and desulfurized gypsum (DG). The compressive [...] Read more.
The pozzolanic activity of lead–zinc tailings (LZTs) was enhanced through mechanical grinding, enabling the preparation of a lead–zinc tailing based composite cementitious material (LZTCC) by combining LZTs with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), steel slag (SS), and desulfurized gypsum (DG). The compressive strength of LZTCC was evaluated under varying water–cement ratios (W/C) and LZTs dosages. The hydration mechanism was studied via phase composition and microstructural analyses of hydration products. The results revealed that the 28-day pozzolanic activity of LZTs improved to 76% after 2 h of mechanical grinding. LZTCC formulated with 60% LZTs, 22% GGBS, 8% SS, and 10% DG achieved compressive strengths of 13.8 MPa at 7 days and 15.7 MPa at 28 days under a W/C ratio of 0.4. XRD and SEM characterization demonstrated that AFt and amorphous C-S-H gel, along with the unreacted LZT particles, contributed to the overall microstructure, while the former two phases played a significant role in the strength development of LZTCC mortar due to their cementitious reactivity. Heavy metal pollution levels were minimized throughout the process, and the research results could provide a scientific basis for the harmless treatment and resource utilization of LZTs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials)
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14 pages, 3886 KiB  
Article
Study on the Rheological and Thixotropic Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Cemented Paste Backfill Containing Blast Furnace Slag
by Xulin Zhao, Haijun Wang, Guanghua Luo, Kewei Dai, Qinghua Hu, Junchao Jin, Yang Liu, Baowen Liu, Yonggang Miao, Kunlei Zhu, Jianbo Liu, Hai Zhang, Lianhe Wu, Jianming Wu, Yueming Lu, Wei Wang and Dingchao Lv
Minerals 2024, 14(10), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14100964 - 24 Sep 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 848
Abstract
To investigate the mechanism of polypropylene fiber (PPF) on the rheological and thixotropic properties of cemented paste backfill containing mineral admixtures, the concept of water film thickness (WFT) was introduced. The packing density of the tailings-binder-PPF (TBP) system was measured in dry and [...] Read more.
To investigate the mechanism of polypropylene fiber (PPF) on the rheological and thixotropic properties of cemented paste backfill containing mineral admixtures, the concept of water film thickness (WFT) was introduced. The packing density of the tailings-binder-PPF (TBP) system was measured in dry and wet conditions and the WFT was calculated accordingly. Additionally, the rheological parameters (yield stress, thixotropy, etc.) of the fiber-reinforced cemented paste backfill (FRCPB) were quantified. The results demonstrate that the wet packing test is a more appropriate method for measuring the packing density of the TBP system. The PPF length has a slight adverse effect on the packing density, and the packing density initially increases and then decreases with the PPF content. The reasons can be attributed to the filling effect and wedge effect of the fibers, respectively. In addition to the packing density, the thixotropy of FRCPB is also affected by the interaction of fibers. WFT is a crucial factor affecting the yield stress of FRCPB, with which it exhibits a strong linear relationship. The study identified that the optimum PPF content for enhancing the rheological and thixotropic properties of CPB is 0.2%, with a fiber length of 9 mm, balancing flowability and stability for practical application in mining backfill operations. These insights can guide the optimization of CPB mixtures, enhancing their flowability and stability during placement in mined-out spaces. By improving the fill quality and reducing the risk of blockage during backfill operations, the results offer practical benefits in increasing the safety and efficiency of underground mining activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials)
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13 pages, 4474 KiB  
Article
Experimentation of Heat-Insulating Materials for Surrounding Rocks in Deep Mines and Simulation Study of Temperature Reduction
by Hongwei Deng and Yuanzhe Xiao
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090938 - 13 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1071
Abstract
With the increasing depletion of shallow resources, mining has gradually shifted to deeper levels, and the high-temperature problem of deep mining has restricted the efficient and safe development of mining. In this study, five types of thermal insulation materials for surrounding rocks with [...] Read more.
With the increasing depletion of shallow resources, mining has gradually shifted to deeper levels, and the high-temperature problem of deep mining has restricted the efficient and safe development of mining. In this study, five types of thermal insulation materials for surrounding rocks with different ratios were produced using tailings, P.O.32.5 clinker, aluminum powder, glass beads, quick lime, and slaked lime as test materials. Based on the uniaxial compression test, the thermal constant analysis test, and numerical simulation analysis technology, the change rule of mortar compressive strength and thermal conductivity was analyzed, and the cooling effect of surrounding-rock thermal insulation materials with different ratios was discussed. The results showed that the compressive strength of the surrounding-rock thermal insulation materials ranged from 0.39 to 0.53 MPa, and the thermal conductivity ranged from 0.261 to 0.387 W/(K·m), with the compressive strength of ratio E being the largest and the thermal conductivity of ratio A being the lowest. In the numerical simulation analysis results, the thermal insulation layer thickness was taken as a value of 10 cm when, at this time, the best thermal insulation effect and economic benefits involved a temperature reduction of 0.9 K. In the case of changing the thermal conductivity and inlet wind speed, the original temperature of the rock temperature reduction was also very clear, with maximum reductions of 0.92 K, 0.92 K, and 1.42 K. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials)
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Review

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51 pages, 6848 KiB  
Review
Potential Reuse of Ladle Furnace Slag as Cementitious Material: A Literature Review of Generation, Characterization, and Processing Methods
by Noureddine Ouffa, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Romain Trauchessec, Tikou Belem, Yassine Taha and Cécile Diliberto
Minerals 2024, 14(12), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14121204 - 26 Nov 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1709
Abstract
Ladle furnace slag (LFS), a by-product of steel refining, shows a promising reuse pathway as an alternative additive or substitute for Portland cement due to its high alkalinity and similar chemical composition to clinkers. However, LFS is often stored in large, open surface [...] Read more.
Ladle furnace slag (LFS), a by-product of steel refining, shows a promising reuse pathway as an alternative additive or substitute for Portland cement due to its high alkalinity and similar chemical composition to clinkers. However, LFS is often stored in large, open surface areas, leading to many environmental issues. To tackle waste management challenges, LFS can be recycled as supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in many cementitious composites. However, LFS contains some mineral phases that hinder its reactivity (dicalcium silicate (γ-C2S)) and pose long-term durability issues in the cured cemented final product (free lime (f-CaO) and free magnesia (f-MgO)). Therefore, LFS needs to be adequately treated to enhance its reactivity and ensure long-term durability in the structures of the cementitious materials. This literature review assesses possible LFS treatments to enhance its suitability for valorization. Traditional reviews are often multidisciplinary and explore all types of iron and steel slags, sometimes including the recycling of LFS in the steel industry. As the reuse of industrial by-products requires a knowledge of their characteristics, this paper focuses first on LFS characterization, then on the obstacles to its use, and finally compiles an exhaustive inventory of previously investigated treatments. The main parameters for treatment evaluation are the mineralogical composition of treated LFS and the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the final geo-composite in the short and long term. This review indicates that the treatment of LFS using rapid air/water quenching at the end-of-refining process is most appropriate, allowing a nearly amorphous slag to be obtained, which is therefore suitable for use as a SCM. Moreover, the open-air watering treatment leads to an optimal content of treated LFS. Recycling LFS in this manner can reduce OPC consumption, solve the problem of limited availability of blast furnace slag (GGBFS) by partially replacing this material, conserve natural resources, and reduce the carbon footprint of cementitious material operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallurgy Waste Used for Backfilling Materials)
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