Characterisation of magnesite mine tailings as a construction material

Abstract

Magnesite Mine Tailings (MMT) is a kind of waste produced during the mining of magnesite ore. Due to open cast mining process, huge amount of tailings are generated and dumped as open landfill that leads to numerous environmental hazards in the vicinity. MMT from Salem mine dump site, India, is collected, and a series of laboratory tests related to physical, chemical, mineralogical, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties have been conducted to characterise the MMT as construction material. Further, the results are compared with river sand and conventional coarse aggregates. The results indicate that the MMT can be used as aggregates in concrete for non-wearing surfaces, manufacturing of bricks, low thermal insulation panels, embankment and thermal insulation fills.

Keywords: Characterisation; Construction material; Electrical; Magnesite mine tailings; Thermal resistivity.