Geotechnical Considerations of Mine Tailings Management through Mine Backfilling

Mine tailings generated during mining should be handled effectively as a simultaneous process with the mining operation. Mine tailings management with a minimum impact to the environment is a vital aspect of sustainable mining, and this can be mainly done by constructing tailing dams and/or backfilling of underground stopes. However, the later provides more unique and supportive advantages to the mining operation over the former, and hence, mine backfilling has been a popular and successful method worldwide in managing mine tailings over the decades. The choice of materials utilised for backfill operation depends on the location of backfilling, availability of materials for a particular fill and prevailing ground conditions. Hydraulic fills and Paste fills are the two most common types of mine fills used in backfill systems. During backfilling stresses are developed within the fill in the mine stope and they are influenced by soil arching. Prior to backfilling, the horizontal drives of the mine are barricaded with competent retaining walls to prevent backfill material entering other areas of the mine. An overview of mine backfilling, backfilling strategies, types of mine fills and their properties with more focus on hydraulic fills, typical backfill system and its behaviour, stress developments within backfills, loadings on drive barricades and barricade construction, drainage considerations of backfills, challenges in mine backfilling and future prospects are discussed in this chapter.