Incorporation of bioleached sulfidic mine tailings in one-part alkali-activated blast furnace slag mortar

Sulfidic mine tailings are potential waste materials from mining and mineral processing, they can contain a high content of sulfur metal(loid)s, even after bioleaching. Due to the large amount historical mining, it is crucial find alternative methods for utilizing such rather than permanent storage in impoundments. One-part alkali-activated slag mortars promising co-binder systems recycling sulfidic thanks their practicability, easy transportation, user-friendly production. In this work, up 50 wt% were incorporated into blast furnace mortars. C-(N)-A-S-H gels formed all final samples with hydrotalcite zeolites. Tailings hardly participate alkali activation, but do have considerable influence on physical chemical properties. The 20 tailings-containing sample showed highest compressive strength 91.1 MPa 90 days curing. results isothermal calorimetry indicate that incrementally increasing percentage promotes pre-induction reaction hinders hydration process. addition, X-ray microcomputed tomography higher porosity when mortar contains more tailings; thus, 10 lowest porosity. According European Union batch leaching test, bioleached be valorized system while remaining below nonhazardous thresholds.