Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tailings composition effects on shear strength behavior of co-mixed mine waste rock and tailings

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Geotechnica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mine tailings composition on shear behavior and shear strength of co-mixed mine waste rock and tailings (WR&T). Crushed gravel was used as a synthetic waste rock and mixed with four types of tailings: (1) fine-grained garnet, (2) coarse-grained garnet, (3) copper, and (4) soda ash. Co-mixed WR&T specimens were prepared to target mixture ratios of mass of waste rock to mass of tailings (R) such that tailings “just filled” interparticle void space of the waste rock (i.e., optimum mixture ratio, R opt). Triaxial compression tests were conducted on waste rock, tailings, and mixed waste at effective confining stresses (\(\sigma_{\text{c}}^{{\prime }}\)) ranging from 5 to 40 kPa to represent stresses anticipated in final earthen covers for waste containment facilities. Waste rock and co-mixed WR&T specimens were 150 mm in diameter by 300 mm tall, whereas tailings specimens were 38 mm in diameter by 76 mm tall. Shear strength was quantified using effective stress friction angles (ϕ′) from undrained tests: ϕ′ for waste rock was 37°, ϕ′ for tailings ranged from 34° to 41°, and ϕ′ for WR&T mixtures ranged from 38° to 40°. Thus, shear strength of co-mixed WR&T was comparable to waste rock regardless of tailings composition. Shear behavior of WR&T mixtures was a function of R and tailings composition. Tailings influenced shear behavior for R < R opt and when tailings predominantly were silt. Shear behavior was influenced by waste rock for R ≥ R opt and when tailings predominantly were sand or included clay particles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Albright WH, Benson CH, Waugh WJ (2010) Water balance covers for waste containment, principles and practice. American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE Press, Reston

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Baldi G, Nova R (1984) Membrane penetration effects in triaxial testing. J Geotech Eng 110(3):403–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Blight G (2010) Geotechnical engineering for mine waste storage facilities. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Bolton MD (1986) The strength and dilatancy of sands. Géotechnique 36(1):65–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brandon TL, Rose AT, Duncan JM (2006) Drained and undrained strength interpretation for low-plasticity silts. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 132(2):250–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bussière B (2007) Colloquium 2004: hydrogeotechnical properties of hard rock tailings from metal mines and emerging geoenvironmental disposal approaches. Can Geotech J 44(9):1019–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Carraro JAH, Prezzi M, Salgado R (2009) Shear strength and stiffness of sands containing plastic or nonplastic fines. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 135(9):1167–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fines P, Wilson GW, Landriault D, Langetine L, Hulett L (2003) Co-mixing of tailings, waste rock and slag to produce barrier cover systems. In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference on acid rock drainage, Cairns, QLD, pp 1019–1022

  9. Gorakhki MR, Bareither CA (2016) Salinity effects on the geotechnical characterization of fine-grained soils and mine tailings. Geotech Test J 39(1):1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Holtz WG, Ellis W (1961) Triaxial shear characteristics of clayey gravel soils. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on soil mechanics and foundation engineering, vol 1, pp 143–149

  11. Khalili A, Wijewickreme D, Wilson W (2005) Some observations on the mechanical response of mixtures of mine waste tailings. In: Proceedings 58th Canadian geotechnical conference, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

  12. Khalili A, Wijewickreme D (2008) New slurry displacement method for reconstitution of highly gap-graded specimens for laboratory element testing. Geotech Test J 31(5):424–432

    Google Scholar 

  13. Khalili A, Wijewickreme D, Wilson W (2010) Mechanical response of highly gap-graded mixtures of waste rock and tailings. Part I: monotonic shear response. Can Geotech J 47(5):552–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. La Rochelle P, Leroueli S, Trak B, Blais-Leroux L, Tavenas F (1988) Observational approach to membrane and area corrections in triaxial tests. Adv Triaxial Test Soils Rock ASTM STP 977:715–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Lambe TW, Whitman RV (1969) Soil mechanics. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  16. Leduc M, Backens M, Smith ME (2004) Tailings co-disposal at the Esquel gold mine Patagonia, Argentina. In: Proceedings of the SME annual meeting, Denver, CO

  17. Lee KL, Seed HB (1967) Drained strength characteristics of sands. J Soil Mech Found Div 93(6):117–141

    Google Scholar 

  18. Li A, Andruchow B, Wislesky I, Olson O (2011) Field testing of co-disposal techniques for acid generating tailings and waste rock at Cerro de Maimón. In: Proceedings of the tailings and mine waste 2011, Univ. of British Colombia

  19. Marachi ND, Chan CK, Seed HB (1972) Evaluation of properties of rockfill materials. J Soil Mech Found Eng 98(SM1):95–114

    Google Scholar 

  20. Matyas EL, Welch DE, Reades DW (1984) Geotechnical parameters and behaviour of uranium tailings. Can Geotech J 21(3):489–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Mohammadi A, Qadimi A (2014) A simple critical state approach to predicting the cyclic and monotonic response of sands with different fines contents using the equivalent intergranular void ratio. Acta Geotech. doi:10.1007/s11440-014-0318-z

    Google Scholar 

  22. Morris PH, Williams DJ (1997) Results of field trials of co-disposal of coarse and fine coal waste. Trans Inst Mining Metall 106:A38–A41

    Google Scholar 

  23. Newson T, Dyer T, Adam C, Sharp S (2006) Effect of structure on the geotechnical properties of bauxite residue. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 132(2):143–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Penman ADM (1953) Shear characteristics of a saturated silt, measured in triaxial compression. Géotechnique 3(8):312–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Qiu Y, Sego DC (2001) Lab properties of mine tailings. Can Geotech J 38(1):183–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Rahman MM, Lo SR (2014) Undrained behavior of sand-fines mixtures and their state parameter. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 140(7):12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Rodriguez R (2006) Hydrogeotechnical characterization of a metallurgical waste. Can Geotech J 43:1042–1060

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Rowe PW (1962) The stress-dilatancy relation for static equilibrium of an assembly of particles in contact. In: Proceedings of the royal society, London, vol 256 A, pp 500–527

  29. Rowe PW, Barden L, Lee IK (1964) Energy components during the triaxial cell and direct shear tests. Géotechnique 14(3):247–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Salgado R, Bandini P, Karim A (2000) Shear strength and stiffness of silty sand. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 126(5):451–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Seed HB, Lee KL (1967) Undrained strength characteristics of cohesionless soils. J Soil Mech Found Div 93(6):330–360

    Google Scholar 

  32. Siddiqua S, Siemens G, Blatz J, Man A, Lim BF (2014) Influence of pore fluid chemistry on the mechanical properties of clay-based materials. Geotech Geol Eng 32:14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Stoeber JN, Fox ZP, Abshire MS, Overton DD (2012) Evaluating the shear strength of mine waste rock. In: Proceedings of the tailings and mine waste 2012, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, pp 265–280

  34. Thevanayagam S (1998) Effect of fine and confining stress on undrained shear strength of silty sands. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 124(6):479–491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Thevanayagam S, Shenthan T, Mohan S, Liang J (2002) Undrained fragility of clean sands, silty sands, and sandy silts. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 128(10):849–859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Tiwari B, Tuladhar GR, Marui H (2005) Variation in residual shear strength of the soil with the salinity of pore fluid. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 131(12):1445–1456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Wang S, Luna R, Stephenson RW (2011) A slurry consolidation approach to reconstitute low-plasticity silt specimens for laboratory triaxial testing. Geotech Test J 34(4):1–9

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wang S, Luna R (2012) Monotonic behavior of Mississippi River Valley silt in triaxial compression. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 138(4):516–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Wickland BE, Wilson GW (2005) Self-weight consolidation of mixtures of mine waste rock and tailings. Can Geotech J 42(2):327–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Wickland BE, Wilson GW, Wijewickreme D, Klein B (2006) Design and evaluation of mixtures of mine waste rock and tailings. Can Geotech J 43:928–945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Wickland BE, Wilson GW, Wijewickreme D (2010) Hydraulic conductivity and consolidation response of mixtures of mine waste rock and tailings. Can Geotech J 47(4):472–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Wijewickreme D, Khalili A, Wilson GW (2010) Mechanical response of highly gap-graded mixtures of waste rock and tailings. Part II: undrained cyclic and post-cyclic shear response. Can Geotech J 47(5):566–582

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Williams DJ, Wilson GW, Panidis C (2003) Waste rock and tailings mixtures as a possible seal for potentially acid forming waste rock. In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference on acid rock drainage, Cairns, QLD, pp 427–435

  44. Wilson GW, Plewes HD, Williams D, Roberston J (2003) Concepts for co-mixing of tailings and waste rock. In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference on acid rock drainage, Cairns, QLD, pp 437–443

  45. Wilson GW, Wickland B, Palkovits F, Longo S (2009) The implementation of paste rock systems for preventing acid rock drainage from waste rock and tailings impoundments. In: Proceedings of the 8th international conference on acid rock drainage, Skelleftea, Sweden, p 13

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Golder Associates Inc., Green Bay, WI, 54304, USA

    Megan M. Jehring

  2. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Megan M. Jehring & Christopher A. Bareither

Authors
  1. Megan M. Jehring
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher A. Bareither
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher A. Bareither.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jehring, M.M., Bareither, C.A. Tailings composition effects on shear strength behavior of co-mixed mine waste rock and tailings. Acta Geotech. 11, 1147–1166 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-015-0429-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-015-0429-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation