Mine Waste Research Articles

Establishing grassland mixtures on mine wastes – a two-year mesocosm study

Plant growth on mine wastes is restricted by the lack of water, nutrients, phytotoxic responses and the absence of a seedbank. In a mesocosm study, we addressed the establishment of vegetation on metalliferous mine wastes from two seed mixtures. Besides the composition of the vegetation and the increase in plant cover and biomass over time, we studied concentrations of heavy metals in the shoot and analyzed the quantity of throughflow, its pH and EC to follow pollutant discharge. We hypothesized that the types of mine wastes and sown grasslands will affect species composition and the formation of a protective plant cover. Our platform was well-suited to study build-up and succession of a vegetation layer and its potential to stabilize mine wastes. However, the establishing community was less diverse than expected. The dilution of wastes increased species number and biomass, and we found a reduction of material discharge with increasing vegetation cover. Over time, drainage was reduced, while pH of the throughflow did not change. However, it was higher under the addition of greywater. Interestingly, the use of greywater led to a higher biomass in one mixture and slight changes in the chemistry of the throughflow and the plant matter.

Ambient Radiological Condition around an Operating Uranium Mill Tailings Disposal Facility at Turamdih, India

AbstractLarge quantity of the feed forms part of the solid waste (tailings) slurry in the low grade uranium ore processing plant at Turamdih in Singhbhum region of Jharkhand, India. Coarser size fraction of this waste is used for backfilling of the underground uranium mines and fine fraction is discharged into an engineered impoundment system or tailings pond. Since inception of the discharges, field expeditions have been performed as part of the comprehensive radiological monitoring program for the facility. The monitoring program broadly consists of ambient gamma dose rate, atmospheric 222Rn and long lived alpha activity measurement around the facility and the estimation of radionuclide in diverse environmental matrices collected from the adjoining sites. Findings reflect that the radiological conditions are comparable to the pre-existing background level adjoining the tailings pond impoundment. Further, measurements for more than a decade confirm that the atmospheric radon concentration profile just a few meters beyond the embankment is indistinguishable from the background.

Sustainable utilization of phosphate mine waste rocks as sand substitutes in cement mortar production

The extraction and processing of phosphate ores from sedimentary deposits generates large quantities of mine waste rocks, raising environmental concerns and contributing to landscape disfiguration. This study proposes an eco-friendly approach by exploring the extraction of sand from phosphate waste rocks (PWR) to mitigate the environmental impact associated with the disposal of mine wastes. The investigation focuses on the feasibility of creating masonry cement mortar by incorporating sand obtained from PWR. Three types of sand, Flint (FS), dolomitic limestone (DLS), and phosphate flint (PFS), obtained from the intercalation layers of phosphate were tested as partial replacements for reference sand at varying rates (0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %). The sands were sieved through a 4 mm sieve and characterized to assess their geotechnical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. The toxicity characteristic leaching test analysis was conducted to ensure the environmental safety of recycled sands. Consistent mortar formulations were prepared and cured under uniform conditions. Results showed that a 25 % replacement ratio for each sand type yielded the highest 28-day compressive strengths, exceeding 30.5 MPa. Moreover, the water absorption of mortars decreased from 10.65 % to 8.39 %, 7.29 %, and 5.97 % with the incorporation of 25 % of FS, PFS, and DLS, respectively. Furthermore, toxicity tests revealed that recycled sand met the specified limits for toxic elements Ag, Hg, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn, and affirmed that incorporating these wastes into MCM significantly reduced the leaching of these metal ions to levels below detection limits (DL=0.01 mg/L). This research contributes to sustainable construction practices by providing a viable solution to minimize mine waste and reduce the construction industry's reliance on natural resources, ultimately addressing both environmental and resource-related challenges.

Research on the influence of surface crack development on radon exhalation in uranium tailing ponds under wet and dry cycles

Compacted soil layers effectively prevent the migration of radon gas from uranium tailings impoundments to the nearby environment. However, surface damage caused by wet and dry cycles (WDCs) weakens this phenomenon.In order to study the effect of crack network on radon exhalation under WDCs, a homemade uranium tailing pond model was developed to carry out radon exhalation tests under five WDCs. Based on image processing and morphological methods, the area, length, mean width and fractal dimension of the drying cracks were quantitatively analyzed, and multiple linear regression was used to establish the relationship between the geometric characteristics of the cracks and the radon exhalation rate under multiple WDCs. The results suggested that the radon release rate and crack network of the uranium tailings pond gradually stabilized as the water content decreased, following rapid development in a single WDC process. The radon release rate increased continuously after each cycle, with a cumulative increase of 25.9% over 5 cycles. The radon release rate and average crack width remained consistent in size, and a binary linear regression considering width and fractal dimension could explain the changes in radon release rate after multiple WDCs.

THE INFLUENCE OF WASTE ACCUMULATION SITES FROM MINING AND PROCESSING PLANTS ON THE HYDROSPHERE OF ADJACENT TERRITORIES

The nature and directions of changes in the state of water bodies of the territory, for a long time (50 60 years) adjacent to the storage areas of mining waste (dumps) and enrichment (tailings) of iron ore raw materials, have been studied. It has been established that dumps and tailings are sources of the adjacent territories’ intense hydrosphere chemical pollution with highly mineralized filtrates. The most intense pollution and increase in groundwater levels at all horizons occurs in the first 10-15 years.In the future, in proportion to the service life of man-made structures, the area and level of chemical pollution of surface and underground water bodies increases, hydrogeological processes are increasing: flooding of lands, landslides, sinkholes.

Water quality, physicochemical, heavy metal content, and health risk assessment of borehole-water from selected mining communities in Ghana

Unregulated mining drives considerable long-term soil and water pollution with increased health risks to humans and other organisms. The main objective of this study is to assess the water quality, physicochemical parameters, heavy metal content, and health risks of borehole water from selected mining communities in Ghana. Quality parameters of 56 borehole water samples collected from 19 mining communities in the Amansie West District, Ghana were carried out. The study is one of the few studies to be carried out in the district because of its breadth of communities, depth of analysis, and scale of health risk assessments performed. Physicochemical parameters including pH, conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and color were evaluated using standard and appropriate methods. Additionally, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury were evaluated using an atomic absorption spectrometer. Observed mean physicochemical parameters varied from 5.1 to 6.5 pH, 59.3 to 325 μS/cm conductivity, 1.4 to 86.4 NTU turbidity, 32.5–214 mg/L total dissolved solids, and 2.5–250 Hz color. Also, the mean concentration of the heavy metals varied from 1.6 ± 2.24 to 169.14 ± 2.18 μg/L arsenic, 0.6 ± 2.24 to 6.0 ± 0.71 μg/L cadmium, 1.25 ± 2.00 to 15.60 ± 1.11 μg/L lead and 0.025 ± 2.00 to 3.33 ± 0.17 μg/L mercury. There was no statistically significant link between arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury at 0.05 concentrations predicting source diversities. Though some samples met WHO quality standards, others were unsafe with increased health risks due to color, turbidity, acidity, and high arsenic issues. In conclusion, this study observed an increased health risk in some selected sampled communities due to exposure to mining-influenced contaminations from heavy metals and particulate matter. This implies that without urgent mining waste disposal regulations, scarcity of quality water and increased risk to health issues could be imminent.

Bertani diantara Himpitan Tambang

This research aims to find out the strategy of farmers in overcoming the problem of mining waste. The results of this study show that the Kiaea community who work as farmers are divided into two, namely field farmers and rice farmers. People who work as field farmers, the location of the plantation close to the mine is forced to leave the land because the plants are covered by dust so that they wither and die. Many residents lost their plantation land due to mining. However, they have a way to keep the land profitable, namely that the mine must compensate, both plants and land. In addition, the presence of mining is certainly a place to accommodate labor and open employment opportunities, such as in the process of building buildings or factories until the stage of mining activities requires a lot of labor. This is what is utilized by residents, especially farmers who have damaged or lost their land. Many people work in the company. The real impact of mining activities that occur in Kiaea Village is environmental damage, air pollution, rivers that were once clear are now murky or mixed with mud so that residents' rice fields are exposed to waste from mining, resulting in a lack of crop yields obtained by farmers and to overcome the problem, several strategies are needed. The strategies made are activating farmer groups, making boreholes, intensive maintenance or spraying, increasing fertilizer application, closing irrigation channels, working as mine laborers. These steps are new solutions to the problems faced and can maintain the rice fields.

Using methane hydrate to intensify the combustion of low-rank coal fuels

Coal mining and processing waste amounts to hundreds of millions of tons annually. Piles of coal refuse pollutes the air with dust and has a risk of self-ignition. However, it can be put to good use as an alternative energy source. To reduce the gas emissions released from its combustion and to increase its integral characteristics, this research suggests co-firing coal mining waste with a gas-vapor mixture formed upon hydrate heating. The corresponding experiments were conducted using a newly developed experimental setup with a boiler unit. The experimental findings were used to obtain an equation for predicting the flame length required for the effective combustion of waste coal. The use of methane hydrate was found to increase the fuel combustion temperature and minimize the unburned carbon. It also provided a significant reduction in the toxic gas emissions (sulfur and nitrogen oxides). A conceptual technological solution has been developed for the co-combustion of gas hydrate with coal and coal mining waste. This technology will help with heating hard-to-reach settlements, producing clean water for population and equipment, as well as recovering slime waste.

Dendroremediation of soil contaminated by mining sludge: A three-year study on the potential of Tilia cordata and Quercus robur in remediation of multi-element pollution

The vast amounts of mining and metallurgical wastes containing unimaginable quantities of toxic metal(loid)s require searching for managed ways. The study aimed to long-term assess the growth, elements accumulation (As, Cd, Hg, In, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, Sn, Ti, Tl, Zn) and proline content in 2-year-old Tilia cordata Mill. and Quercus robur L. seedlings growing under 1 and 3% extremely polluted mining sludge (MS) after 1, 2 and 3 years.Both species were able to grow efficiently without significant differences resulting from the impact of MS. The overall rise was higher for T. cordata than for Q. robur. The accumulation ability for As, Hg, In, Mn, Mo, Pb, Ti, and Zn in the whole plant was significantly higher for T. cordata, while Cd, Sb, Sn and Tl did not differ considerably between species. The highest content was found for As, Mn and Zn (68.7, 158, and 157 mg per plant, respectively) for T. cordata after 3 years of growth. The calculated Bioconcentration Factors were the highest for Cu (1.23), In (6.86), and Zn (38.4) for Q. robur, as well as for As (1.55), Hg (3.24), Mn (32.8), Mo (1.64) and Ti (18.0) for T. cordata after 3 years. The highest Translocation Factors were observed for In (1.35) and Sn (1.25) after 3 years, as well as for Mn (2.72, 3.38, and 3.03 after 1, 2, and 3 years) for Q. robur seedlings. The proline content was higher for Q. robur, regardless of which organ was examined, and the differences increased with the time of the experiment and the amount of MS addition (possibly more sensitive to stress).Young T. cordata seedlings show much greater potential than Q. robur. This is the first time that a demonstration of the high potential of long-living trees in multi-element MS remediation has been described.

Legacy effects of historical gold mining on floodplains of an Australian river

The gold rush at the end of the nineteenth century in south-eastern Australia resulted in the mobilization and re-deposition of vast quantities of tailings that modified the geomorphology of the associated river valleys. Previous studies of contamination risk in these systems have either been performed directly on mine wastes (e.g., battery sand) or at locations close to historical mine sites but have largely ignored the extensive area of riverine alluvial deposits extending downstream from gold mining locations. Here we studied the distribution of contaminant metal(loids) in the Loddon River catchment, one of the most intensively mined areas of the historical gold-rush period in Australia (1851–1914). Floodplain alluvium along the Loddon River was sampled to capture differences in metal and metalloid concentrations between the anthropogenic floodplain deposits and the underlying original floodplain. Elevated levels of arsenic up to 300 mg-As/kg were identified within the anthropogenic alluvial sediment, well above sediment guidelines (ISQG-high trigger value of 70 ppm) and substantially higher than in the pre-mining alluvium. Maximum arsenic concentrations were found at depth within the anthropogenic alluvium (plume-like), close to the contact with the original floodplain. The results obtained here indicate that arsenic may pose a significantly higher risk within this river catchment than previously assessed through analysis of surface floodplain soils. The risks of this submerged arsenic plume will require further investigation of its chemical form (speciation) to determine its mobility and potential bioavailability. Our work shows the long-lasting impact of historical gold mining on riverine landscapes.

Quantifying heavy metal and radionuclide contamination in fish and water proximal to a uranium tailings facility: A Linshui River basin investigation, China

BackgroundThe objective of this study is to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides in water and fish samples collected from six designated sampling stations along the Linshui River, in close proximity to a Uranium Tailing Pond situated in China. Additionally, it seeks to estimate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals and conduct risk assessments, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic, for consumers. MethodsWater and fish samples (yellowhead catfish and common carp) were systematically collected from six stations along the river from January to June 2023, adhering to ethical standards and standard protocols for assessing water quality. Samples underwent chemical preparation and analysis for heavy metals using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, and for radionuclides using gamma spectrometry, with all methods validated for accuracy. ResultsThe water samples showed metal and radionuclide concentrations within acceptable limits, except for higher levels of U and Th compared to background values. Heavy metal concentrations were higher in common carp compared to yellowhead catfish, with both species exhibiting a similar trend. While non-carcinogenic health risk, as indicated by target hazard quotients, was low for consumers, the health risk data emphasized the carcinogenic threats posed by U238 and Th234. ConclusionsThe study highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive river restoration measures. Additionally, the bioconcentration factor values indicate minimal accumulation of heavy metals in the muscle tissue of fish.

Distribution Characteristics and Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Sediments of Fengyuan River, Guangdong

Mining activities and industrial production discharges often generate heavy metal pollution and pose serious environmental impacts. It is of great significance to study the pollution status and sources of heavy metals in polluted rivers for environmental pollution control. This paper determines the concentration of 34 heavy metals, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, in the Fengyuan River and tailing pond in Yunfu City, Guangdong Province. The potential ecological risk index (RI) and integrated pollution index (IPI) were used to evaluate the spatial distribution and pollution levels of heavy metals, and the possible source and enrichment of heavy metal were identified and assessed using enrichment factor (EF). The results showed that Cd and Tl in the slag of the tailings pond were the most serious; The potential ecological risk index indicates that Cd in the sediment of the Fengyuan River is a very severe ecological risk, As and Pb caused heavy and moderate ecological risk, respectively, while, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, V, and Zn constituted mild ecological risks; The integrated pollution index shows that all the sampling sites are above high pollution. The average enrichment factor of Cd in surface sediments reached 28.11. The EF values of As, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn were all greater than 1. The RI, IPI, and EF produced similar levels of heavy metal pollution in sediments, thereby confirming each other’s results, indicating that the Fengyuan River is heavily contaminated, and As, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Zn were likely to have an effect on the aquatic ecosystem. According to principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses, the Fengyuan River may contain heavy metals from a variety of sources, such as tailings ponds, industrial parks, chemical effluent, and more. In addition, correlation analysis indicates that total organic carbon is significantly correlated with the concentrations of As and Cr, respectively, and combining EF suggests that cluster 1 containing As, Mn, and Pb and cluster 2 containing Cd and Zn may be derived from similar anthropogenic sources. This study can provide meaningful basic information for environmental development planning and decision-making associated with human health in the region.

Are Ecological Risk Indices for Trace Metals Relevant for Characterizing Polluted Substrates in the Katangese Copperbelt (DR Congo) and for Assessment of the Performance of Remediation Trials?

This study aims to contribute to the characterization of Katangese Copperbelt’s (DR Congo) mining wastes and soils polluted with trace metals, using pollution indices and direct concentration measurements. This study also evaluated the use of these indices in assessing the success of remediation projects. Data from previous studies and samples collected from six types of discharge and one polluted soil were used to address the first objective. Soil and plant samples were collected at Kipushi and Penga Penga for the second objective. The results reveal very high concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn in all mine tailings and polluted soils, compared with local references. The degree of contamination (DC) values (from 72 to 5440) and potential ecological risk (RI) values (from 549 to 162,091) indicate very high-risk situations associated with polluted discharges and soils. Regarding revegetation trials, the results show lower concentrations and RIs in tree rhizospheres compared with unamended areas at both sites. However, trace metal concentrations are higher in tree rhizospheres compared with local references, and RI values are in the considerable risk range for Penga Penga (RI = 533) and in the very high range (>1500) for Kipushi. Bioconcentration factor values are below 1, indicating low accumulation in roots, wood, and leaves, and low risk of contamination of the trophic chain. In this context, it seems that the pollution indices used are suitable for characterizing pollution and prioritization for remediation. However, their seems unsuitable for assessing the effectiveness of phytotechnology processes based on metal stabilization. Direct plant performance measurements combined with direct measurements of metals in substrates and plants to assess transfer and efficiency are more appropriate.

Numerical model to assess the effect of hydrogeological characteristics of mine waste piles on capping efficiency in unsaturated conditions

Numerical model to assess the effect of hydrogeological characteristics of mine waste piles on capping efficiency in unsaturated conditions

Predicting potential pollutant release from waste rock at the abandoned Beck mine (Karelia, Russia) by equilibrium kinetic modeling

The Beck mine, located in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, is an abandoned mining site with significant potential for environmental contamination due to the presence of potential pollutants in its waste rocks. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition of mine waters and waste rocks and developed a theoretical model to understand waterrock interactions and the release of potential pollutants. Water samples collected from various locations on the Beck mine property were analyzed for chemical composition and showed low concentrations of total dissolved solids with pH values ranging from 6.42 to 7.74. The chemical composition of natural waters was determined by ICP-MS, ICP-AES, ion chromatography, potentiometric titration, and spectrophotometry. Equilibrium kinetic modeling was used to simulate water-rock interactions. The model predicted the concentrations of major and trace elements, demonstrating that dissolutionprecipitation and complexation are the primary mechanisms shaping the chemical composition of mine waters. The dynamics of dissolution-precipitation of Fe-containing minerals highlighted the importance of the duration of water-rock interaction, with stagnant mine waters exhibiting higher concentrations of heavy metals. In addition, the presence of dissolved organic matter played a critical role in the accumulation of iron and arsenic in the studied mine waters. Overall, this study highlights the utility of equilibrium kinetic modeling in understanding the behavior of heavy metals during water-rock interactions and provides valuable insights into the potential environmental impacts of abandoned mine sites such as the Beck mine.

Eco epo-seal, versatile ancillary construction material: pathway to circularity in Industry 5.0

Climate change is real and evident post to the industrial revolution. Sustainable resource utilization in industrial sectors including infrastructure and building sector shall address the shared challenges. Concept of circular construction materials can be a game changer and catchment to industrial sustainability. The objective of the study is to develop Eco epo-seal, ancillary construction material without incorporating conventional materials. Discarded mine waste (DMW), Industrial by-products Porous Fine Aggregate Like (PFAL) and Iron and Steel Waste (ISW), epoxy was employed in the preparation. A total of 36 compositions were attempted by varying DMW (7-27%), PFAL (37-81%), ISW (0-12%) and epoxy (10-30%). The Eco epo-seal was tested for consistency, density, water absorption (WA) (Normal- N, Long term -LT, Long term alkaline- LA), porosity, compressive strength (CS) (N, LT, LA), Flexural strength (FS) and Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). Performance of the Eco epo-seal was reported as density (1065.2 Kg/m3 (B1) to 1763 Kg/m3 (W3)), WA (0.23 % (W1- N) to 68.07% (B3- LA)), porosity (0.0037 (Z3) to 0.479 (A2)), CS (2.36 MPa (A3- N) to 39.44 MPa (W1- LA)), FS (0.41 MPa (Q2)-15.64 MPa (W1)) and UPV (0.8 Km/s (B3) to 2.58 Km/s (W1)). Among the raw materials of Eco epo-seal, epoxy content greatly influences the performance in normal medium. In comparison of performance of Eco epo-seal in LT condition and LA environment over normal medium, enhanced performance is observed with higher epoxy content and deteriorates for lower epoxy content. Multiple linear regression using principal component analysis was employed to model the performance. Porosity, WA and CS of Eco epo-seal varies linearly and FS follows a nonlinear trend. Eco epo-seal is a versatile composite suitable for various civil engineering and building applications, circular approach adopted is a one-step solution to prevailing waste management issues and places construction industry as a forerunner in cleaner practices of Industry 5.0.

Thallium isotopic fractionation in soils from a historic Hg[sbnd]Tl mining area: New insights on thallium geochemistry

Thallium (Tl), a highly toxic heavy metal, which may pose significant environmental threats due to extensive discharge from anthropogenic activities. It is crucial to understand geochemical behavior of Tl in soils for initiating proper measures for Tl pollution control. For this purpose, transport behavior of Tl and its dominant factors in soils collected from a typically Tl-enriched depth profile, surrounding a historical tailing dump near an independent HgTl mine area in China, were investigated by using Tl isotope compositions. Results showed that an overall enrichment of Tl (48.68–375.21 mg/kg) was accompanied with As elevation (135.00–619.00 mg/kg) in the whole depth profile, and Tl and As exhibited co-migration behavior with Fe, S, K, and Rb. Geochemical fractionation of Tl unveiled by sequential extraction further indicated that Mn-/Fe-bearing minerals and clay minerals act as main hosts of Tl in the studied soils. Thallium isotopic composition and its fractionation pattern further revealed that the major contributors to high Tl levels in the depth profile were tailing and lorandite minerals, with mean contribution rate of 51.99% and 42.47%, respectively. These findings facilitate the understanding of Tl transport behavior in highly contaminated environment, providing valuable insights for developing new technologies in mining waste treatment and historical mine reclamation.

The Experimental Characterization of Iron Ore Tailings from a Geotechnical Perspective

The mining industry produces large amounts of tailings which are disposed of in deposits, which neglects their potential value and represents important economic, social and environmental risks. Consequently, implementing circular economy principles using these unconventional geomaterials may decrease the wide-ranging impacts of raw material extraction. This paper presents an experimental characterization of iron ore tailings, which are the most abundant type of mining waste. The characterization includes various aspects of behavior that are relevant to different types of use as a building material, including physical and identification properties, compaction behavior and stress–strain properties under undrained monotonic and cyclic triaxial loading. The tailings tested can be described as low-plasticity silty sand materials with an average solids density of 4.7, a maximum dry unit weight close to 3 g/cm3 and a higher angle of friction and liquefaction resistance than common granular materials. The experimental results highlight the particular features of the behavior of iron ore tailings and emphasize the potentially promising combination of high shear resistance and high density that favors particular geotechnical applications. Overall, the conclusions provide the basis for promoting the use of mining wastes in the construction of sustainable geotechnical works and underpin the advanced analysis of tailings storage facilities’ safety founded on an open-minded geotechnical approach.

Production of Synthetic Carbonate Rocks Using Limestone Mining Waste: Mineralogical, Petrophysical and Geomechanical Characterization

Production of Synthetic Carbonate Rocks Using Limestone Mining Waste: Mineralogical, Petrophysical and Geomechanical Characterization

Machine learning for predicting compressive strength of sustainable cement paste incorporating copper mine tailings as supplementary cementitious materials

Copper mining produces significant amounts of copper mine tailings (CMT), necessitating appropriate waste handling and disposal practices. By substituting a portion of cement with CMT as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), we aim to address two environmental issues simultaneously: reducing copper mine waste in landfills and decreasing embodied carbon by using less cement. The exploration of CMT recycling as a cement replacement requires evaluation of its impact on material performance, such as compressive strength. In this paper, we address this by machine learning that features data fusion of large public data with our own small data on compressive strength of CMT-incorporated cement. We developed and critically evaluated three machine learning models: a simple linear model, Gaussian process, and random forest that predict the compressive strength of CMT-incorporated cement pastes with different mix designs (e.g., varying amounts of CMT and water-binder ratios) and curing ages. Hyperparameters in the random forest model were tuned using Bayesian optimization. Following a comprehensive evaluation of the models, we find that the random forest model can accurately estimate the compressive strength of cement paste across the mix designs. Furthermore, results from SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP), Individual Conditional Expectation (ICE), and Partial Dependence Plots (PDP) revealed that cement, ground-granulated blast furnace slag, superplasticizers, and curing ages positively influence compressive strength. This study contributes to acceleration of sustainable material technology to obtain the best mix design and desired compressive strength.