Research Status and Prospects for the Utilization of Lead–Zinc Tailings as Building Materials

Abstract

Lead–zinc tailings are the typical solid wastes in mines with high yield and low utilization rates in some countries at present. They are mainly stockpiled in tailings reservoirs, occupying massive land resources and threatening the health of the environment. One of the advantages of building material production in sustainability is the ability to utilize large amounts of industrial solid wastes, and the use of lead–zinc tailings in building materials is an effective way to meet the dual needs of environmental protection and economic development. This paper reviews the progress of utilizing lead–zinc tailings as building materials and mainly summarizes the status of lead–zinc tailings in cement, geopolymer, concrete, building brick, and foam ceramic. According to previous research, lead–zinc tailings contain large amounts of silica–alumina oxide, which can be used in the production of cement clinker. The addition of lead–zinc tailings to the sintered material can reduce the sintering temperature. The active components contained in lead–zinc tailings can be used in concrete instead of cement or in the preparation of geopolymers. Meanwhile, lead–zinc tailings can also be used as a fine aggregate. However, there are few studies on the durability of building materials with lead–zinc tailings. Additionally, most of the research results of building materials are in the laboratory stage, which are difficult to be promoted. In view of these problems, corresponding suggestions and prospects are given in the end in order to provide a reference for the research on the utilization of lead–zinc tailings.