Use of Artificial fine aggregates from copper tailings in mortar: Mechanical Performance

The construction and mining industries are among the most impactful on the environment. A significant issue in the mining industry is the generation of mine tailings, with copper tailings being among the most voluminous. One potential way to utilize them is as a replacement for fine aggregates, although they are extremely fine. Through an alkaline activation process, it is possible to agglomerate them and use them in mortar mixtures. This research used copper tailings to produce an artificial fine aggregate (AFA) through an alkaline agglomeration process and assessed its impact on mortar mixtures. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to manufacture an artificial fine aggregate by alkaline agglomeration using the proposed methodology. Also, it is shown that replacement levels up to 45% show improvements in the mechanical performance of the mortar mixes. Additionally, a decrease in the density of the mixtures was observed.