Expediency of the using of the current tailings in the stowage process of mining enterprises

Abstract

It has been discovered, that depending on the concentration of the thixotropic mixture, the content and properties of the mineral substance of thin classes, the filling mixture based on the current tailings can be represented by a medium with weakly or strongly expressed viscoplastic properties. With an increase of the content of thin classes, which is typical for the current tailings, the resistance to movement of mixtures in pipes sharply increases. To reduce energy costs and improve the reliability of hydrotransportation from blockages, special additives are required to be add into the high-density filling mixtures, which destroy coagulation structures. In this case, the resistance is reduced several times. The use of the thixotropic properties of the filling mixtures makes it possible to obtain a stowage with high strengths and elastic characteristics with the most complete use of the activity of the astringent agents (binding component). In addition, thixotropic mixtures possess mobility necessary for pipeline transport with a significant (up to 2—3 times) decrease in water consumption. The consumption of the astringent agent is reduced by 20—22%. One of the radical ways to dispose of the fine tailings is achieved by using them not only in the filling (stowing) processes, but also for various household needs.