review · Buildings
Mining operations generate substantial amounts of waste materials, such as tailings and waste rocks, which pose ongoing threats to public health and the environment through long-term storage and disposal. Concurrently, the construction sector consumes considerable quantities of natural resources, including stone and water. Evidence indicates that inert mining wastes possess physical characteristics and chemical compositions suitable for replacing conventional raw ingredients in concrete, functioning as sand, aggregates, or binders. Evaluating these properties provides a basis for incorporating mining by-products directly into concrete manufacturing. Such approaches promote cleaner industrial practices in construction and advance circular economy models within mining. Utilising these secondary materials reduces reliance on virgin resources while supporting progress towards international sustainable development goals.
Mining yields vast amounts of problematic waste, while the construction sector rapidly consumes finite natural resources. Showing that inert mining rocks and tailings can replace natural sand, aggregates, and binders addresses both issues simultaneously. Adopting these secondary materials supports cleaner industrial practices, conserves virgin natural resources, and helps the building sector align with sustainable development targets.
This work points to applications in concrete production, where building material manufacturers and construction firms could utilise inert mining tailings and waste rocks as alternative aggregates, sand, or binders. Because the review synthesises current research to stimulate further development, the pathway remains at an early-stage to applied research level, requiring further development to operationalise these materials in commercial concrete formulations.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
The mining industry generates a substantial amount of waste materials, including tailings and waste rocks, which, if not managed correctly, pose threats to the environment and public health due to their long-term accumulation and disposal. Simultaneously, the construction sector consumes important amounts of natural resources like water and rocks. However, research shows that inert mining waste can serve as a substitute for conventional raw materials in construction, particularly in concrete. This review focuses on using mining waste as an alternative to concrete technology to promote cleaner practices in construction and circular economy in mining. Mining waste, with its physical characteristics and chemical composition, can function as diverse components in concrete, such as sand, aggregates, and binders. This article assesses these properties and explores their incorporation into concrete production, aiming to stimulate further research and development, foster environmentally responsible approaches, and underline the direct link to reaching SDGs to achieve sustainability in the construction industry.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/buildings14061508
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
