Sustainable stabilization of sulfidic mine tailings using fly ash and sodium bicarbonate: A multiscale analysis


He Q., Cao S., YILMAZ E.

POWDER TECHNOLOGY, cilt.467, 2026 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 467
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.powtec.2025.121573
  • Dergi Adı: POWDER TECHNOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, Computer & Applied Sciences, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Cementitious filling technique is an imperative measure for sustainable disposal and utilization of tailings. Considering that high-sulfur tailings can cause acid corrosion and sulfate erosion, thereby reducing the stability of high-sulfur tailings backfill (CHSTF), the introduction of alkaline additives is of significant importance. Based on this, the current research investigated the impacts of fly ash (FA) and sodium bicarbonate (SOB) alkaline admixtures on the macro and micro properties, as well as the chemical stability of CHSTF specimens. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted using uniaxial compression tests (UCS), chemical stability analysis (pH, sulfate ion concentration, conductivity), and microstructural characterization (SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR). Experimental results indicate that adding alkaline agents realistically improves CHSTF's performance. Specifically, when FA and SOB were added simultaneously at a dosage of 1 wt%, the maximum UCS value reached 3.20 MPa, representing a 73 % increase in strength compared to the control group, while also enhancing chemical stability and promoting the formation of a dense microstructural network. Notably, the synergistic mechanism between FA's volcanic ash reaction and SOB's early alkaline buffering effect was elucidated. Ultimately, this research contributes significantly to the sustainable treatment of sulfur-containing tailings and offers a theoretical basis and practical support for global mine backfilling engineering applications.