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Technical case record · Construction

Pamaka cement–tailings masonry bricks

Artisanal gold-mining waste was tested in cement-bound bricks intended for non-loadbearing masonry.

Pamaka, SurinameLaboratoryLaboratory evidence

What was developed or tested

Mix-ratio trials included compressive strength, water absorption and assessment of gold and mercury. Reported strengths met the cited non-loadbearing criteria.

What the evidence supports

This case provides evidence for a local masonry route under the reported test conditions. Durability, production quality assurance and mercury behaviour over the product lifecycle need further work.

Environmental and technical uncertainty

Mercury-bearing residues demand conservative sampling, exposure assessment and end-of-life controls; binder encapsulation is not a substitute for release testing.

Benefit-case screening lens

Potential value: Potential co-product revenue, reduced demand for virgin aggregate or binder inputs, local supply and avoided tailings storage.

Deployment constraints: Product specification, consistency, processing and binder demand, customer qualification, market volume, haulage distance and residual liability.

Question before applying elsewhere

Does the site-specific residue meet durability, leaching, production-control and applicable material-specification requirements at the proposed scale?

Sources

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