Alternative Cementitious Binders Using Mineral Wastes

The present study discusses preliminary findings on the potential of upcycling mine tailings into an alternative source of supplementary cementitious materials. Thermal and mechanical activation mechanisms were used to alter the highly crystalline microstructure of the raw tailings. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry were used to investigate morphological and microstructural features. The R3 test was used to assess the chemical reactivity of the processed mine tailings and benchmark their behaviour against widely used supplementary cementitious materials such as microsilica and fly ash. The results showed that indeed the followed activation mechanisms have gradually amorphized the raw tailing, yielding it eligible to participate in chemical reactions within a cementitious matrix.