About this Research Topic
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight recent research dealing with improvements in the design and application of cementitious backfills. Studies of cementitious backfills have recently focused on their preparation, design, placement, operation, monitoring, performance, and optimization stages. However, as any backfill system can comprise up to 35% of its operational budget, it is better to focus on a system which is functional, optimized and cost-effective for mines. Hence, this collection will deliver a broad knowledge on mining with cementitious backfills which enhances underground mining efficiency via reduced stope cycle time and increased recovery of ore. Scholars are strongly fostered to submit original research and review papers on topics such as cost-effective backfill types and materials, backfill recipe optimization, innovative backfill plant design, backfill manufacturing and delivery to stopes, in-situ placement/curing conditions, stress and temperature measurements during the pour of cementitious backfills, instrumentation, monitoring, and case studies.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Lessons learned from thickening and filtering tailings for cementitious mine backfills
- Investigating the transport characteristics of high-concentration tailings backfills
- Rheology and fresh properties of backfills containing mineral and chemical additives
- Preparation of paste backfilling: the role of tailings, cement, water, and admixtures
- Analysis of the mechanical behavior and microstructure of cementitious backfills
- Plant design, mix recipes, pump/pipeline delivery systems of cementitious backfills
- Cost-benefit analysis of cementitious backfills applied in underground mines
- Environmental impact assessment and risk analysis of cementitious mine backfills
- Shotcrete barricade design and performance of cementitious backfilled stopes
- Instrumentation and monitoring of the field properties of cementitious backfills
- Best practices, innovations and experience in cementitious backfill operations
- Case studies: cementitious backfill system and typical backfilling operations
- Emerging issues and technologies for alternative cementitious backfills
Keywords: cementitious backfill, recipe design, geomechanics, in-situ performance, emerging technologies
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.