Hong-Rui Yue , Ya-Kun Zhao , He Yang , Xiang-Xin Xue , Jing Liu
{"title":"Cumulative leaching behavior in sustainable vanadium extraction from V-slag using Ba-Slag","authors":"Hong-Rui Yue , Ya-Kun Zhao , He Yang , Xiang-Xin Xue , Jing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores a sustainable “waste-to-value” approach that employs barium slag (Ba-slag), a byproduct of BaCO<sub>3</sub> production, as a roasting additive for vanadium extraction from V-slag. Key challenges addressed include isolating a pure V product from a multi-component leachate, explaining the leaching characteristics, and managing the tailings. In this work, a roasted mixture of Ba-slag and V-slag was leached under optimized conditions, yielding a leachate from which V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> with 99.50 % purity was recovered via precipitation and calcination. Tailings were repurposed into foamed ceramics, achieving a maximum compressive strength of 4.05 MPa as a potential structural component. Optimal leaching parameters, 30 wt% H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, 80 °C, and a holding time of 90 min, resulted in a peak V leaching efficiency of 90.67 %. The leaching efficiency increased initially but declined under excessive leaching conditions due to cumulative effects. Elemental migration, crystal phase evolution, and morphology and elemental distribution analyzes revealed that Ba<sub>3</sub>V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub> acts as the intermediate for V concentration, with newly formed small BaSO<sub>4</sub> particles on the tailings surface confirmed cumulative effects. Further, a novel method for calculating kinetic parameters was proposed to elucidate the cumulative characteristics. The cumulative rate constant (<em>k<sub>d</sub></em>) ranged from 0.0009 to 0.006, while the activation energy (<em>E</em>a) ranged from 22.4 to 32.53kJ/mol, aligning with reported values and validating the reliability of the proposed calculation method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109852"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
İlknur Bekem Kara , Gökhan Durmuş , Cuma Kara , Gökhan Kaplan
{"title":"Copper tailings recycling in cement-based composites: A deterministic LCA approach accompanied by microstructure, mechanical, thermal and non-destructive tests","authors":"İlknur Bekem Kara , Gökhan Durmuş , Cuma Kara , Gökhan Kaplan","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109866","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109866","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Innovative approaches to sustainable building materials are needed due to the cement industry’s high carbon footprint and the environmental management of massive amounts of copper tailings (CT) from mining operations. Using a comprehensive approach, this study aims to evaluate the thermal–mechanical performance and ecological sustainability of CT, a high-silica (>79 %) and distinctly bimodal grain-distribution material from Artvin-Murgul, as a pozzolanic additive in cement-based composites. To achieve this, mortar series were created in which CT was added to cement at weight percentages ranging from 0 % to 15 %. Mechanical, thermal, microstructural, and pozzolanic activity analyses were employed to evaluate the performance of the samples. A cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) employing the EF 3.1 method in compliance with ISO 14040/44 standards was also used to evaluate environmental performance. With a pozzolanic activity index of 76.2 %, the results verified that CT is a pozzolanic material. The 28-day compressive strength was maintained at 52.5 MPa, with the best performance from the 5 % CT replacement. The composite’s higher density, however, resulted in a slightly lower specific strength compared to the control sample, underscoring the trade-off between mass efficiency and environmental advantages. Additionally, there was a 2.1 % increase in flexural strength (7.17 MPa). The success of the pozzolanic reaction has been chemically verified through microstructural analyses. The weak Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> phase was consumed by the 5 % CT addition, which significantly decreased the Ca/Si ratio in the matrix and resulted in a more robust C-S-H structure. According to LCA results, applying 15 % CT resulted in notable improvements in Global Warming Potential (GWP) and all impact categories, particularly acidification and eutrophication. A 12.4 % decrease in net lifecycle GWP was computed, taking carbonation effects into account. In addition to enhancing mechanical performance, this study demonstrates that using CT at the optimal rate offers substantial environmental advantages, as evidenced by LCA. This process effectively turns industrial waste into a valuable, eco-friendly building material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109866"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145339503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Renjie Yang , Xun Wang , Ruiqi Xie , Xian Xie , Xiong Tong
{"title":"Flotation separation of cassiterite from calcite and quartz via novel collector sodium monododecyl phosphate","authors":"Renjie Yang , Xun Wang , Ruiqi Xie , Xian Xie , Xiong Tong","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the similarities in surface properties between cassiterite and oxides gangue minerals, achieving efficient flotation separation with conventional collectors presents considerable challenges. In this study, sodium monododecyl phosphate (SMP) was employed as a novel collector for the first time to separate cassiterite from calcite and quartz. The flotation test results showed that the high-efficiency separation of cassiterite from the two gangue minerals could be achieved by using SMP as a collector without adding depressants. When pH was 10 and SMP dosage was 250 mg/L, the tin grade and the recovery of concentrate, which was acquired by artificial mixed minerals experiment were 56 % and 87 %, respectively. Moreover, the selective collection mechanism of SMP onto the three minerals was also elucidated by contact angle detection, zeta potential measurement, adsorption test, and FTIR analysis, which found that SMP is chemisorption on the surfaces of cassiterite rather than the calcite and quartz surface, and the adsorption strength between SMP and cassiterite is much stronger than that of calcite and quartz, so the hydrophobicity of cassiterite is improved more remarkably than the other two gangue minerals. In addition, XPS analysis and DFT calculation further confirmed that SMP chemisorbs on the cassiterite surface through chelation between the phosphate groups in the reagent molecules and tin atoms on the cassiterite surface, forming a five-membered ring structure. Therefore, this study presents a viable strategy for the development of novel high-efficiency collectors for cassiterite flotation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109865"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peng Tong , Yapeng Wang , Mengyue Wang , Xianrong Zhang , Haiyang Su , Zhijun Li , Shengbin Zhou , Chenxu Zhao , Xiaoming Zhang , Junfei Zhang
{"title":"Synergistic effects of sulfate, magnesium, and bicarbonate ions in mine water on the hydration, microstructure, and long-term durability of Portland cement paste","authors":"Peng Tong , Yapeng Wang , Mengyue Wang , Xianrong Zhang , Haiyang Su , Zhijun Li , Shengbin Zhou , Chenxu Zhao , Xiaoming Zhang , Junfei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109867","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of mine water containing aggressive ions as mixing water in concrete poses a significant threat to the long-term durability of cement-based materials. This study systematically investigates the individual and combined effects of sulfate (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup>), magnesium (Mg<sup>2+</sup>), and bicarbonate (HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) ions on the hydration behavior, mechanical performance, and microstructural evolution of Portland cement paste. Cement pastes were prepared using simulated ion-containing solutions and evaluated through compressive strength testing, isothermal calorimetry, XRD, TG-DTG, MIP, and SEM analyses. Results indicate that all three ions accelerate early hydration and strength development, with the ternary ion system exhibiting a 73.5 % increase in 7-day compressive strength (from 28.3 to 49.1 MPa). However, prolonged curing results in strength deterioration, particularly under multi-ion conditions, where compressive strength decreases by 25 % (from 55.0 MPa at 28 days to 41.3 MPa at 180 days). Quantitative XRD analysis shows that ion incorporation significantly alters hydration product composition: after 90 days, AFt content decreases from 10.7–11.8 % to 7–9.1 %, while calcite formation increases from 3.5–7.7 % to 3.9–9.5 %, and CH content rises under high-ion conditions, indicating a shift in hydration equilibrium. MIP results reveal that total porosity remains nearly constant (15.3–17.1 %), but mesopore fractions increase from 9.9–13.3 % to 10.5–14.0 %, suggesting progressive pore refinement but reduced matrix integrity. Microstructural observations confirm that deterioration is associated with excessive AFt formation, transformation of C–S–H into M−S−H, and accumulation of CaCO<sub>3</sub>, leading to increased microcracking and loss of compactness. This study provides new insights into the synergistic and time-dependent effects of aggressive ions on cement hydration and durability. The findings not only elucidate the deterioration mechanisms of ion-contaminated systems but also offer theoretical guidance for mix design optimization, development of ion-resistant binders, and pretreatment strategies to ensure the safe and sustainable use of mine water in future concrete infrastructure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109867"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145339500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lingxiao Gao , Chenyang Lv , Chenxu Zhang , Wei Sun , Zhiyong Gao , Bingang Lu , Jian Cao
{"title":"Enhanced effect of depressant for the flotation separation of chalcopyrite from pentlandite via chemical and spatial selectivity","authors":"Lingxiao Gao , Chenyang Lv , Chenxu Zhang , Wei Sun , Zhiyong Gao , Bingang Lu , Jian Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Focusing on the difficulty of separating chalcopyrite from pentlandite, this study pioneers a chemical-spatial dual-selectivity strategy to design depressants for pentlandite. Based on this strategy, two small-molecule organic depressants, 4-hydroxyamino-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid (HOAOEA) and 4-hydroxyamino-4-oxobutanoic acid (HOAOB), were synthesized. The advantages of the chemical-spatial dual-selectivity strategy in the design of effective small-molecule depressants were explored through a comparative study of the flotation and adsorption behavior of HOAOEA and HOAOB. DFT calculations revealed that HOAOEA with chemical-spatial selectivity allowed the simultaneous coordination of Ni/Fe sites on the surface of pentlandite through electron delocalization effect and planar adsorption structures and the formation of multilayered adsorption through intermolecular π-π interactions, resulting in a dense hydrophilic film on the mineral surface. The flotation results demonstrated that HOAOEA was an excellent depressant by selectively depressing the flotation of pentlandite with better performance than HOAOB. This study not only pioneers the application of a chemical-spatial dual-selectivity design strategy for developing small-molecule depressants in mineral flotation, but also facilitates the efficient exploitation of copper-nickel resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109868"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sulfidation reconstruction methods for improving the floatability of copper oxide minerals: A review","authors":"Xinlei Wei, Yongsheng Sun, Xiaotong Wei, Peng Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Copper oxide minerals are important raw materials for copper production, mainly including malachite, chrysocolla and cuprite. Flotation is the main method to extract copper from copper oxide minerals. However, the high surface polarity of copper oxide minerals restricts the flotation process. In this paper, the mineralogical characteristics of copper oxide minerals are described briefly. The treatment methods of sulfidation including surface sulfidation, mechanochemical sulfidation and sulfidation roasting are summarized to improve the floatability of copper oxide minerals. In particular, this paper analyses the sulfidation reaction mechanism. An efficient way to promote flotation recovery is to form a sulfide film on the mineral surface. The research direction for further utilization of copper oxide minerals is prospected.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109843"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jian Cao , Lingxiao Gao , Wei Sun , Zhiyong Gao , Bingang Lu , Xiaohui Su , Chunhua Luo , Xiangan Peng , Fengxiang Yin
{"title":"Optimized molecular length and uniform molecular weight distribution enhance depression effect of macromolecular depressant towards serpentine","authors":"Jian Cao , Lingxiao Gao , Wei Sun , Zhiyong Gao , Bingang Lu , Xiaohui Su , Chunhua Luo , Xiangan Peng , Fengxiang Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109842","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nickel is an extremely important strategic metal resource. However, in the flotation of nickel sulfide ores, serpentine causes a decline in the grade of nickel concentrate due to heterocoagulation and mechanical entrainment. Organic polymers represent prevalent depressant choices for serpentine. Typical synthetic polymer depressants are usually prepared via conventional free radical polymerization, but synthesized depressants exhibit significant defects: broad molecular weight distribution and uncontrollable molecular structure, which markedly reduce the depression effectiveness. To address these challenges, this study proposes, for the first time, the use of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to precisely design and synthesize an ABA-type triblock copolymer depressant from acrylamide and acrylic acid. Through systematic comparison with a random copolymer of acrylamide and acrylic acid (RAB) prepared via traditional free radical polymerization, the innovative advantages and mechanisms of the ABA-type depressant in terms of molecular structure, adsorption behavior and flotation performance were elucidated. Experimental results demonstrate that, owing to narrow molecular weight distribution and long molecular chains, ABA forms a dense adsorption layer on the serpentine surface. Through chelation of carboxyl groups with Mg<sup>2+</sup> and hydrogen bonding, ABA significantly enhances surface hydrophilicity and reverses the surface charge of the serpentine, effectively inhibiting heterocoagulation between serpentine and pentlandite and increasing the macroscopic size of fine serpentine particles. This study provides a novel strategy for the design of high-performance macromolecular depressants targeting magnesium silicate gangue in complex nickel ore flotation, overcoming the technical limitations of traditional depressants and demonstrating significant industrial application value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109842"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Nyarko , Mark Drechsler , Theophilus Amos-Judge , George Abaka-Wood , William Skinner , Massimiliano Zanin , Richmond Asamoah
{"title":"Effect of comminution mechanism on flotation of coarse composites","authors":"Daniel Nyarko , Mark Drechsler , Theophilus Amos-Judge , George Abaka-Wood , William Skinner , Massimiliano Zanin , Richmond Asamoah","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109851","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109851","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of comminution mechanisms of GRolls® and rod mills on particle characteristics and flotation performance. Particular focus is given to coarse particles flotation, aiming at energy reduction in the grinding circuit. Experiments were carried out using both HydroFloat™ and mechanically agitated cells using porphyry copper–gold ore. GRolls® demonstrated superior coarse particle flotation due to preferential breakage along mineral boundaries, producing better-liberated particles with higher Cu exposure. In the HydroFloat™, GRolls® products achieved a Cu grade of 3.6 % in the + 150 µm fraction, compared to 2.8 % for rod mill products. In mechanically agitated cells, GRolls® products also delivered superior performance in the + 150 µm fraction, with a Cu recovery of 60 % and grade of 5.8 %, while rod mill products achieved 52 % recovery and 3.9 % grade.</div><div>Particle morphology also influenced the flotation performance, with elongated particles correlating with higher grades in coarser fractions and rounded particles linked to increased gangue entrainment in finer fractions. Fluidized bed properties in the HydroFloat™ were similar for both comminution methods, indicating that when particle size distributions are closely matched and relatively coarse particles are used at low superficial water velocities, particle morphology has minimal impact on bed dynamics. These findings highlight the importance of comminution strategies and particle shape in optimizing flotation performance for energy-efficient ore processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109851"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Design and performances of squeezing magnetic roller based on NS magnetic system in eddy current separation","authors":"Zhicheng Shan , Yi Yuan , Guojian Li , Qiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109854","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>E-waste contains various kinds of non-ferrous metals and is the core of “urban mining”. Eddy current separation is a key technology for realizing the resource utilization. The magnetic roller is the power source for generating eddy current force. Its design and optimization are crucial for improving the efficiency and economy. This study designs a squeezing magnetic roller and calculates the eddy current force using COMSOL Multiphysics, and combines it with MATLAB to get the particle trajectory. Subsequently, the influences of magnetic guide plate thickness, width and squeezing angle on the performances of the magnetic roller are investigated, and the squeezing magnetic roller is optimized by the response surface method. The optimized squeezing magnetic roller has a better comprehensive performance than that of the NS magnetic roller commonly used in industry, with an increase of 1.2–3 times in eddy current force and magnet utilization efficiency, which is beneficial for the separation of non-ferrous metal and non-metal particles. The variation coefficients of radial and tangential eddy current forces decrease by 63.16 % and 84.62 %, respectively, and the repulsion distance difference increases by 17 %–41 %. This is beneficial for the separation between different non-ferrous metal particles. Therefore, the squeezing magnetic roller has promising performance advantages and is a new choice to improve the efficiency and promote the recovery of non-ferrous metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109854"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Selection criteria for mine tailings as SCM: A Comprehensive Review of Types, Properties and Performance","authors":"Gayathri Chandran , Sindhe Ashish , Aswathy Ajayan S , Thirumalini Selvaraj","doi":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of mine tailings as supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) offers a sustainable solution for addressing the environmental issues faced while handling the mine tailings, and it can also address the high carbon footprint of Portland cement production. The enormous quantities of tailings that are generated all around the world from the mining sector are currently causing an alarming situation. The possibility of pollution is increasing as the consequences of frequent disposal of these tailings in tailing dams or impoundments. This paper provides a comprehensive review of mine tailings, including copper tailing, iron tailing, gold tailing, gold silver tailing, coal tailing, tungsten tailing, molybdenum tailing, boron tailing, phosphate tailing, red mud and silicate tailing as supplementary cementitious materials to reduce its negative effects on the environment. From the review of above-mentioned tailings, it is comprehended that copper and iron ore tailings are easily accessible and also possess high pozzolanic reactivity due to the presence of reactive oxides (>70 %), but they generally contain iron bearing minerals like hematite, fayalite, magnetite, which necessitate the requirement for activation methods. Gold tailings, coal tailings and silicate tailings also contain pozzolanic properties mainly due to the presence of reactive clay minerals like muscovite, kaolinite, tremolite, etc, and also due to the possession of active oxide content. Mechanical activation proved to be very reliable method in enhancing the pozzolanic potential of gold and silicate tailings, whereas coal tailing performed better with thermal activation. However, the heavy metal leaching in case of gold and coal tailings should be handled priorly before its utilization in cement matrices. Molybdenum tailing and tungsten tailing are also promising when considering their properties, but long-term availability of this tailings does not make it a promising candidate for usage as SCM. Similar with the case of phosphate tailings as the excess percentage of phosphates can hinder the hydration of cement. The optimum percentage of tailings in cement mix was observed to be between 5 % to 20 % but even higher replacement was used by employing different activation methods. Using mine tailings as SCM will be a viable option as it is a sustainable, reliable and eco-friendly option which can simultaneously tackle the environmental impacts of mining pollution and cement pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18594,"journal":{"name":"Minerals Engineering","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 109822"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}