# 47: Re-imagining the Use of Mine Tailings into Construction Materials
Project ID:
47
Team Members:
Balaram Luitel, José Velásquez
Faculty Advisor(s):
Kathleen Smits
Department:
Civil Engineering
Project Type:
REU
Title:
Re-imagining the Use of Mine Tailings into Construction Materials
Abstract:
Mine tailings are the waste effluent of the mineral processing required to extract the metals that humans use every day. Proper management in the disposal of mine tailings is one of the main problems faced by the mining industry worldwide, especially in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). To mitigate mine tailings disposal-related problems, communities have developed initiatives to recycle mine tailings into construction materials without knowing the proper mixtures and ratios between mine tailings and cement to accurately develop physical properties that can stand the anticipated structural forces. This study will examine through different mine tailings – cement ratios and tests – the optimum ratios and mixtures required to generate good structural strength properties by testing cylindrical concrete core samples under the compressive strength test ASTM – C 39.