Systematic review of mixing technology for recycling waste tailings as cemented paste backfill in mines in China

The development of industry is inseparable from the support of mining. However, mining processes consume a large amount of energy, and increased tailing emissions can have a significant impact on the environment. In the past few decades, the mining industry developed many technologies that are related to mineral energy management, of which cemented paste backfill (CPB) is one of the representative technologies. CPB has been successfully applied to mine ground control and tailings management. In CPB technology, the mixing process is the key to achieving materials with good final quality and controlled properties. However, in the preparation process, the mixed homogeneity of the CPB is difficult to achieve because of fine tailings, high solid volume fraction, and high viscosity. Most research focused on the effect of mixing ingredients on CPB properties rather than on the preparation process of the CPB. Therefore, improving the performance and reducing the production cost of CPB by optimizing the mixing process are important. This review summarizes the current studies on the mixing technology of CPB and its application status in China. Then, it compares the advantages and disadvantages of multiple mixing equipment and discusses the latest results and research hotspots in paste preparation. Finally, it concludes the challenges and development trends of mixing technology on the basis of the relevant application cases in China to promoting cement-based material mixing technology development.