Investigation into Mechanical Behaviour of Tin Tailing Considering Incremental Loading Oedometer

Due to tremendous engineering applications of tin worldwide, tin ores are mined and processed, and these processes generate a left-over materials called tin tailings. Tailing dam failures have led to studies on some tailings because of their adverse environmental, social and economic implications. However, there is hardly any study investigating the mechanical behaviour of tin tailings and the knowledge about these materials is few and very scanty. Here, the mechanical behaviour of tin tailing was investigated through one-dimensional compression. In addition to carrying out of series of oedometer tests, index and physical, microstructural, chemical and mineralogical analyses were also conducted. Tin tailings are poorly graded in nature. The microstructure is characterised by agglomeration of particles to form continuous clusters with few inter and intra-cluster pores. The fabric is heterogeneous. Cassiterite, ilmenite and quartz dominate the mineralogy. The compression paths are parallel and the normal compression lines are not unique. The mode of behaviour in tin tailing is transitional in nature and the behaviour is therefore initial state dependent.