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Technical case record · Construction

WA tailings and waste rock in mine shotcrete

A University of Western Australia programme is investigating mine wastes as aggregate and partial binder inputs for underground shotcrete.

Western Australia, AustraliaResearch programmeConcept evidence

What was developed or tested

The programme targets aggregate replacement and reduced Portland-cement demand while retaining early strength, support performance and constructability.

What the evidence supports

An Australian pathway-development case rather than a completed product demonstration. Underground support could create an on-site market with lower transport burden.

Environmental and technical uncertainty

Potential benefits include reduced virgin aggregate demand and waste stabilisation; underground exposure, rebound, pumping and leaching need validation.

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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