Cemented backfill technology based on phosphorous gypsum

Physical-chemical properties of phosphorous gypsum, proportion and cemented mechanism of slurry with gypsum as aggregate were studied to remove the harms of gypsum pile, combining with difficult problems of excessive mined-out gobs, enormous ore body under roadway and low recovery ratio of Yongshaba Mine, Kaiyang Phosphor Mine Group, Guizhou Province, China. An appropriate backfill system and craftwork were designed, using shattering milling method to crush gypsum, double-axles mixing and strong activation mixing way to mix slurry, cemented slurry and mullock backfill alternately process. The results show that gypsum is fit for backfilling afterwards by adding fly ash, though it is not an ideal aggregate for fine granule and coagulate retardation. The suggested dosage (the mass ratio of cement to fly ash to gypsum) is 1:1:6–1:1:8 with mass fraction of solid materials 60%–63%. Slurry is transported in suspend state with non-plastic strength, and then in concretion state after backfilling. The application to mine shows the technology is feasible, and gypsum utilization ratio is up to 100%. Transportation and backfill effect is very good for paste-like slurry and drenching cemented slurry into mullock, and the compressive strength and recovery ratio are 2.0 MPa and 82.6%, respectively, with the maximum subsidence of surface only 1.307 mm. Furthermore, the investment of system is about 7×10⁶ yuan (RMB), only 1/10 of that of traditional paste backfill system. Foundation item: Project (2006BAB02A03) supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program; Project (08MX16) supported by Mittal Scientific and Technological Innovation Projects of Central South University during 2008