Mechanical weathering effect on tailing particles

• Over the last century the tailing volume generation has grown dramatically due to the mineral demand. Nowadays the mining industry is producing every year millions of tons of tailings. The storage of the tailings has become a challenge due to the increased storage capacity demanded. Physical risk associated to the tailings dams is the stability itself since tailing dams are considered a walk-away solution. Physical changes as breakage and shape occur to the tailing particles affecting the stability of the fills by reduced strength properties. In order to understand the reduction and shape changes of tailing particles degradation test by milling attrition (erosion) and image analysis was conducted. Uniform fractions 1-0.5, 0.5-025, 0.25-0.125 and 0.125-0.063mm were used.Results have shown that attrition agents e.g. ball attrition can increase the physical erosion but also change the shape of the particles compared with autogenous attrition. However particles shape has become more regular (less elongated) and rounded in coarse fractions 1-0.5 and 0.5-0.25mm while smaller fractions 0.25-0.125 and 0.125-0.063mm seems to have opposite behavior. Comparison with previous milling studies show consistent differences probably due to the breakage of the particles was the objective. In perspective if tailings become more rounded the strength could be compromised. More studies are needed to verify this.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Geoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Geotechnical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Soil Mechanics

Geoteknik

Sustainable transportation (AERI)

Hållbara transporter (FOI)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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