Development and Challenges on Mining Backfill Technology

Abstract

This paper discusses the development and challenges of mining backfill technology for the past 20 years. The traditional backfill technology such as rock backfill, hydraulic backfill and paste backfill as well as some emerging mining backfill technologies as the “High water content backfill technology”, “Total tailing backfill technology” and “Mining paste-like backfill technology” were also detailed discussed for the challenges in engineering application, and it is illustrated that they indeed have some unique characteristics in high-early strength, excellent workability, and resisting dewatering. In the mining backfill, many factors attribute to the performance of the backfill body, and it is found that the properties of the binder and the grade of the tailings as aggregate play significant role in the mechanical properties of the backfill body.