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Minerals
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Cemented Mine Waste Backfill: Experiment and Modelling, 3rd Edition
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Cemented Mine Waste Backfill: Experiment and Modelling, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 1725

Editors

Dr. Haiqiang Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Safe Mining of Deep Metal Mines, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: cemented tailings backfill; alternative binder for mine backfill; mine waste management; recycling and utilization of mine waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ferdi Cihangir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mining Engineering, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey
Interests: cemented paste backfill; cement; alkali-activated slag
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Baiyi Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Construction and Healthy Operation and Maintenance of Deep Understand Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: carbon-negative backfill mining; mine waste disposal and utilization; CO2–water–rock reaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaolin Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resources Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Interests: cemented paste backfill; mining technology; pipeline resistance; pipeline wear; slurry rheology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In light of the favorable response to the initial two editions of our Special Issue—comprising 14 publications in the first and 9 in the second—we are delighted to present the third edition. The published studies pre-dominantly focused on material design, rheological and mechanical properties, microstructural characterization, and numerical or data-driven modeling of cemented mine waste backfill under various curing and engineering conditions, establishing a robust foundation for future progress.

Cemented mine waste backfill (CMWR) is a crucial technique for sustainable and secure mining, enabling significant reutilization of mine wastes, reducing surface disposal and environmental risks, and improving subterranean stability. As a result of the transition to deeper mining and heightened environmental regulations, CMWR systems must increasingly exhibit reduced carbon emissions, enduring robustness, and dependable performance in challenging operational environments. These criteria emphasize the necessity for both innovative experimental techniques and advanced modeling tools.

Therefore, this third edition especially encourages contributions pertaining to carbon mineralization and AI-based prediction and monitoring in cemented mine waste backfill, expanding on the scope of the prior two editions. The design of new carbon-sequestering binders; carbonation-induced strength development, durability, and environmental performance; CO2 mineralization kinetics and microstructural evolution; AI-based approaches for process optimization and performance prediction are some of the topics of interest.

To contribute to this Special Issue, we kindly welcome scholars and practitioners to submit original research articles and comprehensive reviews. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Characterization of Backfill Components: Recent advances in binders, chemical and pozzolanic additives, alkali-activated/alternative low-carbon binders.
  • Fresh Backfill Properties: Studies on rheology, workability, and transportability.
  • Performance and Durability: Mechanical and geochemical durability, microstructural properties.
  • Environmental Issues and Mitigation: Acid mine drainage prevention and control techniques, heavy metal release potential and immobilization/stabilization.
  • Technological Innovation: Technological performance testing, design of novel carbon-sequestering binders, carbonation-induced strength development and durability, environmental performance, CO2 mineralization kinetics and microstructural evolution.
  • Advanced Methods and System Assessment: AI-based approaches for process optimization and performance prediction, mathematical modeling and numerical simulation, in situ monitoring, environmental regulations, and life-cycle assessment studies.

Dr. Haiqiang Jiang
Prof. Dr. Ferdi Cihangir
Dr. Baiyi Li
Dr. Xiaolin Wang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • cemented paste backfill/cemented mine waste backfill
  • tailings and waste management
  • alternative binder materials
  • mix proportion design
  • mechanical and geochemical durability
  • rheological properties
  • acid mine drainage and heavy metal release
  • geotechnical properties
  • environmental performance and carbon sequestration
  • mathematical modeling, numerical simulation and AI-based approaches

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 15377 KB  
Article
Effects of Functional Auxiliary Components on the Performance and CO2 Mineralization Response of CGS–GGBS-Based Backfill Binders
by Yingying Wang, Hongqi Song, Bingyu Liu, Yitong Wang, Zhongkuan Wei, Xiaotong Li and Wenyue Qi
Minerals 2026, 16(8), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16080819 - 7 Aug 2026
Viewed by 415
Abstract
Coal-based solid-waste binders provide a promising route for integrating mine backfilling with CO2 mineralization, but auxiliary components can affect flowability, strength, and mineralization response differently. In this study, coal gasification slag (CGS) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were used as the [...] Read more.
Coal-based solid-waste binders provide a promising route for integrating mine backfilling with CO2 mineralization, but auxiliary components can affect flowability, strength, and mineralization response differently. In this study, coal gasification slag (CGS) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were used as the base binder, while soda residue, carbide slag, phosphogypsum, desulfurization gypsum, and red mud were introduced as functionally distinct auxiliary components. The binders were subjected to CO2 injection mixing, and their flowability, compressive strength, apparent CO2 uptake, reaction products, and pore-related characteristics were evaluated. The response to CO2 treatment depended strongly on the auxiliary–component combination. CO2 injection mixing reduced the early-age strength of most formulations. In contrast, the carbide slag–red mud formulation, CGS9, showed favorable compatibility between cementitious reactions and mineralization. Its 3 d and 7 d strengths increased by 36.0% and 14.4%, respectively, while its 28 d strength remained nearly unchanged. Its apparent CO2 uptake and carbonation degree reached 3.825% and 13.46%, respectively. XRD showed stronger calcite diffraction peaks after CO2 injection mixing, while FTIR showed enhanced carbonate absorption bands. SEM-EDS and LF-NMR indicated matrix densification and refinement of the water-filled pore environment. These findings show that functionally distinct auxiliary solid wastes can help coordinate cementitious reactions and CO2 mineralization, providing a feasible route for producing low-carbon mine backfill materials from coal-based solid wastes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cemented Mine Waste Backfill: Experiment and Modelling, 3rd Edition)
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22 pages, 31444 KB  
Article
Strength Behavior, Fracture Evolution, and Energy Dissipation Properties of Cemented Tailings Backfill in Chemical Environment
by Bingquan Wang, Shuai Cao and Erol Yilmaz
Minerals 2026, 16(7), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16070724 - 10 Jul 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 358
Abstract
With the growing depth of underground mining, issues surrounding solid waste storage and the effective use of mine water have become pivotal to achieving sustainable mining practices. The complex ionic composition of mine water impacts the performance of traditional cemented tailings backfill (CTB) [...] Read more.
With the growing depth of underground mining, issues surrounding solid waste storage and the effective use of mine water have become pivotal to achieving sustainable mining practices. The complex ionic composition of mine water impacts the performance of traditional cemented tailings backfill (CTB) materials. Gold mine tailings, combined with cement, were repurposed as the cornerstone raw materials in this investigation. Solutions with identical target concentration gradients for Cl−, SO42−, and HCO3− were prepared separately using NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3, respectively, with each salt dosed to achieve the desired anion concentration. These solutions served as mixing water for preparing samples with tailings and cement. Strength, energy dissipation characteristics, and microstructure of CTB were investigated by single-axis compression test, XRD, and SEM-EDS analysis. Experimental results demonstrate that adding three reagents—NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3 (covering Cl−, SO42−, and HCO3− ions, respectively)—at appropriate concentrations enhances mechanical properties. At their optimum concentrations, these salts increased the compressive strength of CTB by approximately 30%, reaching ~4 MPa. However, further increases in salt concentration produced inconsistent strength responses, with bicarbonate-containing mixtures exhibiting the most pronounced strength reduction. These effects are primarily attributed to competition between the introduced anions and cement hydration reactions, which alters the pore structure and consequently the density and strength of the hardened matrix. Incorporating different ion-covering backfill at appropriate concentrations enhances mechanical strength. These findings provide new opportunities for CTB mix design and mine water utilization. However, as this study considered only single-ion systems, further investigation is needed to elucidate the combined effects of multiple ions present in actual mine water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cemented Mine Waste Backfill: Experiment and Modelling, 3rd Edition)
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26 pages, 19941 KB  
Article
An Empirical Solution for Estimating the Maximum Allowable Mass of Waste Rock to Prevent Non-Mixing Between Paste Backfill and Dumped Waste Rock
by Pantea Kazemi and Li Li
Minerals 2026, 16(7), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16070676 - 27 Jun 2026
Viewed by 253
Abstract
Traditionally, waste rock generated in underground mines is transported to the surface and stored in waste rock piles. This practice requires substantial energy consumption and incurs additional operational costs. In Canada, an alternative approach involves directly dumping waste rock into stopes being filled [...] Read more.
Traditionally, waste rock generated in underground mines is transported to the surface and stored in waste rock piles. This practice requires substantial energy consumption and incurs additional operational costs. In Canada, an alternative approach involves directly dumping waste rock into stopes being filled with paste backfill. This method eliminates the need to transport waste rock to the surface and avoid the crushing of large rock blocks into smaller particles, as well as the use of specialized equipment for mechanically mixing the two materials. Consequently, both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. Furthermore, binder consumption decreases because a portion of the cemented paste backfill is replaced by uncemented waste rock. Despite these advantages, no practical tool is currently available to assist backfill engineers in determining the appropriate amount of waste rock to be dumped. As a result, excessive quantities of waste rock may be added to the paste backfill, leading to inadequate mixing between the two materials. When exposed during the excavation of an adjacent stope, the resulting fill mass may become unstable and fail, causing undesirable consequences. To address this issue, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of several factors, including the solids content and thickness of the paste backfill, the dumping height, the maximum particle size of the waste rock, and the stope dimensions, on the maximum allowed mass of waste rock. Based on the experimental results, an empirical equation was developed to estimate the maximum allowed waste rock mass that can be dumped without causing non-mixing between waste rock and paste backfill. The predictive capability of the proposed equation was successfully validated using additional independent experimental data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cemented Mine Waste Backfill: Experiment and Modelling, 3rd Edition)
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