Research
Tailings Center Research
The Tailings Center industry-research consortium, provides research and workforce capacity generation. The Center produces graduate and undergraduate students with tailings management experience through both Center sponsored research and affiliation with broader university research at Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University and University of Arizona.
Member Sponsored Tailings Research
Tailings Center membership fees directly support:
· Tailings Reduction Through Sustainable Reuse as Construction Materials (lead site: Colorado School of Mines). Reuse mine tailings in the form of construction materials. Novel construction materials provide an additional benefit, in which toxic compounds and heavy metals are bound and immobile, thus mitigating against environmental contamination.
· Geotechnical Insights from Legacy Tailings Facilities (lead site: Colorado State University). The objective of this work is to use existing and historical data from legacy tailings storage facility sites to quantify the distribution of geotechnical conditions. Field and laboratory data will be synthesized and contextualized using design and operational history.
· Tailings Cover Material: Biophysicochemical Properties Associated with Successful Plant Establishment (lead site: University of Arizona). Improve associations between physical, chemical and biological properties of tailings covers and revegetation.
Broader Tailings and Mine Waste Research
The Center extends its ability to increase tailings workforce capacity through partnering with broader tailings and mine waste management researcher conducted at each university. Broader tailings and mine waste research targets:
· Tailings and mine waste facility characterization
· Extraction of critical minerals and additional value from tailings and mine waste
· Repurposing of tailings
· Risk mitigation of tailings and mine waste
· Mine waste water management
· Contribution to environmental improvements
Current Research Projects
View the current research happening by members of The Tailings Center.