Sage Govender Sage Govender

Project Title: Repurposing of Mine Tailings.

Research Theme: Value from Waste

Supervisor(s): Megan Becker, Jennifer L. Broadhurst

Abstract

Mining industries produce large volumes of solid waste, some in the form of tailings, annually. Tailings are easily accessible and pose a storage and space problem. These wastes that are often left to stand for long periods of time are extremely susceptible to the weather conditions which pose an environmental risk whereby dust and leachate can be produced. However, it is possible for these wastes to be repurposed and reused thus adding value to our lives and contributing towards a circular economy. Some approaches that have been previously considered, theoretically, include co-disposal, fabricated soils, clay fired bricks, fine aggregates and green sand. For the purposes of this thesis, tailings from a mineral sands operation will be investigated to test the validity of these approaches, ultimately producing a recommended approach or approaches, considering the specific mineralogical compositions of the tailings.