| Abstract: | The use of mine tailings (MTs) as aggregates or precursors of alkali-activated materials and geopolymers (GPs) seems to be a promising approach for their sustainable utilization since it allows not only reducing the dynamics of MTs accumulation in the environment and the environmental damage they cause but also it combines the advantages geopolymer technology that is associated with reducing the carbon footprint, the ability to utilize other technogenic aluminosilicate waste, the versatility of the properties of GPs as a general construction binder. Taking into account the complex material composition of mine tailings, and relatively little knowledge of the features of the geopolymerization of tailings and the influence of various factors on the properties of MTs-based geopolymers, there is now a need to generalize these aspects and assess the prospects for possible applications. This article is a generalization and a detailed analysis of the relationship between structural, mechanical, and thermal properties, durability, leaching behavior, and other important characteristics of MTs-based geopolymers. Here, in addition to the key fundamental aspects of the formation of properties of MTs based geopolymers, well-known examples of their applications in binder pastes, mortars, and concretes, as well as bricks, backfill materials, adsorbents, porous materials, and other promising applications are considered in detail. In addition, economic and production aspects are also discussed. |
