Handbook On Mine Fill: Book Review by
Handbook On Mine Fill: Book Review by
Handbook On Mine Fill: Book Review by
The Handbook editors note the last Australian Chapter 6 covers paste fills. This chapter follows
reference on mine fills was written in 1979 by the progression from the selection of materials,
noted Australian backfill practitioner Ed Thomas. processing of components (including thickening
However, the field of mine filling has evolved and dewatering), mixing, delivery and placement
significantly in the 25 years since this volume in stopes, and monitoring/performance. The
was published and today we have a much better chapter includes an extensive discussion on the
understanding of the properties and behavior of key design principles for paste including rheology
backfill materials, as well as access to and backfill strengths. Given the ever increasing
technologies and equipment that did not exist in demand for paste this chapter will likely be
that day. popular with readers. In particular, the authors
reinforce some of the fundamentals key to the
success of paste systems such as adequate
fines, matching the rheology of the paste to the Such a system of capitalizing risks lends itself to
hydraulics of the system, and maximizing the use highlighting the cost effectiveness of paste
of gravity for delivery. These factors are critical backfill when the potential risks of surface
in that most performance failures in paste disposal of tailings are weighed against the cost
systems can be attributed to rheology. of underground disposal.
Chapter 7 presents a comprehensive overview of And finally Chapter 10 deals with emerging
rockfills. The chapter first covers some of the technologies and current research. This chapter
mechanics of rockfills based on the aggregate gives an overview of the papers presented at the
gradings, backfill density, and aggregate types. It last 3 Minefill series of Symposia, along with
then covers some of major design elements comments from international practitioners on
including aggregate gradings, binder additions, future trends in the industry.
and delivery to stopes. The remainder of the
chapter is dedicated to a discussion of several As has been noted by the editors, each chapter
varieties of composite rockfill/hydraulic fill (so in the Handbook could ideally form the basis for
called rocky paste fills) in use at Mount Isa and an entire textbook. As such the handbook tries to
Olympic Dam. These fills offer a number of strike a balance between the topics needed by
advantages to large blasthole open stoping mine fill operators and engineers, and extended
operations including remarkable backfill strengths topics that go beyond the scope of the book.
at very low bulk cement contents. Some of the topics that readers may wish to
explore beyond the handbook include limit
Rockfills are gradually being replaced by paste equilibrium design of stable fill exposures for
fills worldwide, in an effort to reduce the undercut sills and other typical geometries,
environmental impacts of mining. However, backfill instrumentation, backfill quality control
rockfills do offer important economic advantages monitoring and quality assurance programs,
over paste fills, especially when there is a large cement optimization, and costing of backfill
stockpile of readily available waste rock. systems.
Rockfills continue to be popular in Nevada in the
US for undercut drift and fill stopes, and small The real value in this handbook is that it is
longhole stopes, where a quick stope turnaround authored by practitioners in the field and thus
is needed. contains a wealth of practical knowledge and real
operational experience. This is in contrast to
Chapter 8 opens up the discussion to other uses some reference texts which have been authored
of mine fills including backfilling coal mines, using by researchers and universities and thus tended
fills to reduce surface subsidence, backfilling to be much more theoretical than practical.
open pits after closure, and co-disposal of
municipal and mining wastes. Unlike returning The breadth of topics covered by this handbook
mine wastes underground, these methods make it an ideal reference manual for mining
require extensive geochemical characterization of engineers, and the inclusion of a comprehensive
the waste products and the receiving overview of the basic material properties,
environment, in order to prevent contamination. geomechanics and fluid mechanics aspects of
In fact, regulatory and public concerns about mine fills makes this book an ideal teaching tool
contaminant transport have prevented many for universities and mining schools.
worthwhile such projects from proceeding in the
US and Canada.