Investigation of cellulose filament for mine backfill

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Mine backfill has been progressively integrated into underground mining operations to increase ore extraction,improve underground stability, and to dispose of mine waste material. In this process, waste streams frommineral extraction comprising suspensions of sediments/tailings are mixed with a reinforcing agent (oftencement), then pumped back underground to refill the areas where they were removed from. Various types ofmine backfill such as paste fill or Gel fill have been developed to address the specific needs of various miningoperations. For optimization of mining techniques, mine fill with improved physical and mechanical propertiesare desirable. Higher-strength mine fill can be used to provide structural support to existing tunnel networks,allowing for increased extraction within a given area. Improving the strength of the backfill is therefore usefulfor enhancing the overall yield of a mining operation.In this proposal, a highly-fibrillated nanocellulosic material will be tested for its ability to stabilize and improvethe structural performance and rheology of mine backfill for the first time. The nanocellulose to be used in thisresearch is produced via a high-consistency refining process that was recently developed and has since beenadapted and tailored for a variety of different industrial applications. The technology for producing thisnanofibrillated cellulose was recently licensed by Performance BioFilaments Inc. The very high aspect ratio(ratio of length to width) of this nanofibrillated cellulose, along with its high degree of flexibility andexceptional surface area, make it an ideal material for entangling and binding-together tailing particles. It isexpected that the nanofibrillated cellulose material will also improve the strength and rheology performance ofmine backfill when it is used as binder to complement or replace cement material (either totally or partially),and thus reduce the overall carbon footprint in the mining industry. With success, this study increases thecompetitiveness of the company, and will aid the company's intention to expand the potential applications of itsproduct to mining industry, and generate more revenues.