Utilization of Tailings Sand in Sustainable Cement-Based Materials: A Comprehensive Review and Potential Challenges

With the increasing depletion of natural sand and gravel resources, construction and other businesses have gradually realized the seriousness of the situation. As a potential waste resource, tailings sand (TS) has huge reserves in countries all over the world, but it has not been well recycled. For this reason, this review introduces the basic characteristics of TS and systematically analyzes the applied research progress of TS in cement-based materials (CBMs) over recent years based on CiteSpace software. Based on the above results, the influence of TS on the mechanical properties, durability, and microscopic characteristics, as well as the economic and environmental effects of CBM (e.g., concrete, mortar), is primarily detailed. The existing research has indicated that the moderate content of TS can enhance the mechanical strength and durability of CBM by improving its microstructure. However, challenges such as reduced fluidity and variability in TS properties due to different ore sources remain significant barriers to widespread adoption. For example, studies show that 20–40% TS replacement improves compressive strength by 12 ~ 18% (e.g., ITS: + 15.7% at 30% dosage; CTS: + 9.2% at 20%), while 60% replacement reduces slump by 26–34%. The incorporation of TS into CBM is conducive to promoting sustainable production with favorable economic and environmental benefits. Environmental assessments indicate 18–22% lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional concrete. Overall, the utilization of TS as a substitute material for fine aggregate or cement has great application value and development potential in CBMs. Finally, this review discusses the feasibility of TS-containing CBM in practical applications and gives some suggestions for its future research focus. The results of this research have important theoretical and engineering implications for the application of TS in construction materials.