Copper Tailings in Concrete Mix

This assignment explores the use of copper tailings as a substitute for natural river sand in concrete mixes. The study evaluates various properties of concrete incorporating copper tailings, including pull-off strength, drying shrinkage, chloride permeability, sulphate attack resistance, alkalinity, flexural strength, compressive strength, and abrasion resistance. The findings suggest that incorporating copper tailings into concrete mixtures can enhance durability and strength, making it a viable option for construction applications.

COPPER TAILINGS PLASTER MATERIAL
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Abstract
The disposal of the copper tailing waste is crucial since it can lead to the destruction of the
environment. This project investigates the use of copper tailings in concrete cement when it is
used to partially replace the mostly used natural river sand. An M25 concrete grade that
contained copper tailing ratio in it was compared to the normal and a used control mix that
lacked copper tailings. A number of tests were later performed to indicate the flexural strength,
compressive strength, abrasion resistance, pull-off strength and fast chloride permeability, ability
to resist sulphate attack, alkalinity and water together with air permeability. An analysis proved
that the copper tailings could be used as a partial replacement, replacing the natural small
aggregates used to an average of about 60%. The water-cement ratios remained to be 0.4, 0.45
and 0.50. The plastering concrete that contained copper tailing featured characteristics like good
durability and strength thereby making it recommendable for activities in construction (Trevor,
et al., 2011).
1. Introduction
When the copper ores that have been mined from the ground are purified, copper tailing is the
greater portion that remains as waste. A copper mine, therefore, needs to dispose of this waste
since they become an environmental issue if left to lie around (Modena, et al., 2016). These
copper mines have taken the act of disposing copper tailings in their damping facilities that exist
as dams or ponds. Disposing of the tailings in this manner proves to be a convenient method of
storage since the waste exists in a slurry form once it is discharged from the copper mine
concentrator This led to the deployment of copper tailing study as a partial additive that
potentially is recommended for usage in concrete and cement mortar. Incidences of using cement
mortar, a pre-wetted tailing of about 5% level, in addition, made a reduction in effects that

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proved to be negative bout dry copper. Using copper tailings in concrete proved to improve the
abrasion resistance and mechanical strength as well as reducing chloride permeability other than
negatively impacting its porosity and slump (Khatib, 2009).
2. Literature Review.
A study on the stabilization characteristics of clay soil using the copper tailings provided and
explained reasoning whereby soils that were expansive could be made stable by an introduction
of copper tailings. Similarly, the durability and strength of mortar properties that contain copper
tailings when they have used a replacement of cement explained that the copper tailing to cement
distribution made an improvement such as the increase in the yield stress in mixtures of mortar
(Pacheco-Torgal, et al., 2014).
2.1 The Material Properties and Prepared Test Specimen.
2.1.1 Raw Materials
An ordinary grade 43 of Portland cement that conformed to the BIS 1989 was
used. A specific gravity of 3.15 and a normal consistency of 30.5%. Initial
setting time of 60 minutes and final setting time of 200 minutes). One more
raw material was natural sand from a river that conforms to zone II with
regards to BIS 1970: the void content of about 34% constant with ASTM
2009. An equal portion of 10 mm size and 20 mm size of crushed stone was
one of the raw material as an example of a coarse aggregate that had a specific
gravity of 2.60. Copper tailings that conformed to zone I constant to BIS 1970
(Sahu & Jena, 2013).
2.1.2 Test Specimen Preparation.

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The investigation of the usefulness of copper tailings to be used as an option
to fine aggregates used in concrete led to the designing of M25 concrete grade
that has three different ratios of water to cement. The cooper tailings are used
as a substitute of sand that occurs naturally in rivers from a percentage of 0 to
60. The mixture portion can then be produced. The desired workability was
produced by the use of a plasticizer. These mixtures contained nine cubes
sized 100 × 100 × 100 mm that had to be cast with compressive strength test
of days 7, 28 and 30. There were two cubes to be used for abrasion test. A
total of nine beams that had sizes of 100 × 100 × 500 mm were then cast for a
number of days, 7, 28 and 90 for flexural strength and pull-off tests. Various
mixtures got prepared to them cast at temperatures of around 25 – 30 degree
Celsius. Some tests of compaction factor were performed on newly made
concrete to show its workability. Plastic sheets covered the molds after their
casting and after 24 hours, they were de-molded. Curing done in a water tank
of controlled temperature 25 – 27 degrees Celsius. Finally, tests were done
(Pegg & Stagg, 2007).
2.2. Laboratory Testing
2.2.1 Density, Copper Tailing Setting and Hardening of the Concrete
Fresh concrete’s workability was put to test in a compacting factor instrument. The
density of the same fresh mixture of concrete was then measured. Taking from the
density and workability of the fresh mixture of concrete, the different percentages that
contained copper tailings were put in comparison to that set control mix of the fresh
concrete mixture. This produced a resulting observation of the two properties. An

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observation was made regarding the density of the mixtures. The made observation was
an increase in copper tailing percentage led to a gradual increase in concrete density. This
observation came about due to the greater specific gravity that cooper tailings possess if it
is compared to the sand that exists naturally (Calkins, 2008).
2.2.2 Abrasion resistance, flexural strength, compressive strength and pull-off
strength of concrete
Concrete cubes that contained different copper tailing percentages and different water-
cement ratios were used. After 24 hours, these mentioned specimens got de-molded after
a duration of 24 hours. Thereafter, they were put into the compression testing machine
after being cured for 7, 28 and 90 full days. Tests revealed that a ratio of w/c 0.4, has the
concrete copper tailing showing greater compressive strength if compared to the control
mix (Woolley, et al., 2000).
In flexural strength testing, the concrete beams cast with different copper tailing
percentages and various water-cement ratios. At a ratio of w/c 0.4 resulting to a flexural
strength greater than the control mix’s strength. Increasing the ratio to 0.45 also made the
flexural strength increase.
In a concrete’s cover zone, its tensile strength is called the pull-off strength. After
measuring the flexural strength, the broken pieces were used to conduct the tensile
strength test. A 50 mm iron disc in diameter were secured to the concrete to be measured
using an adhesive and a rate of loading ranging 5-10 kN/min was issued. The exerted
force aimed to rip off the disc thereby producing a resulting observation of an increased
tensile strength in the concrete with copper tailings. Concrete with water-cement ratios

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showed similar tensile strength if it is given a comparison to the set control mix. Hence
the concrete’s tensile strength cannot be improved to the usable amount in a cover zone
mix (Nunan, 2010).
Using the concrete cubes, test on abrasion were conducted adequately on the 28 days
cured concrete. Abrasive powder got put on the surface to be experimented on and a
weight loading to 600 N applied on the same surface of an area 100 cm2. Water-cement
ratios from 0.4, 0.5 and rising, in the concrete cement, indicated an increase in the
abrasion. In spite of the increase, the values were comparatively smaller when compared
to the control mix (Neat, 2013).
2.2.3 Drying Shrinkage.
The concrete’s drying shrinkage test was conducted on three beams of concrete
measuring 75 × 75 × 300 mm. steel studs were secured onto the beams’ ends and a gauge
length of these studs measured. These beams were put into a control cabinet that was
maintained at a temperature of 27 degree Celsius and about 50% humidity. Measures
were taken after ever seven days for 3 months and produced a drying shrinkage that was
lower in concrete containing copper tailings compared to control mix.
2.2.4 Air and Water Permeability.
For water permeability, the concrete cubes were exposed to a constant water pressure of
around 0.5 N/mm2 for three days. After the 3 days, the samples were left to dry for 10
minutes and split through the center to measure the depth of water penetration. Concrete
with copper tailings had less water penetration when measured. The same procedure was

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done for determining air permeability using 0.1 bar and concrete mix with copper tailings
came out better (Dhir, et al., 2003).
2.2.5 Fast Chloride Permeability Testing.
Tests were done by measuring the electrical conductance of concrete mix to determine
the resistance to penetration by chloride ion in slices 51 mm thick with 102 mm nominal
diameter core. Taking results from ratios of water-cement of 0.4, 0.5 and rising, puts a
confirmation that copper tailings fill up pores in concrete to reduce fast chloride
penetration (Gonçalves & Margarido, 2015).
2.2.6 Alkaline Test and Resistance to attack by Sulphate.
Concrete cubes after being cured were put into an oven for a duration of 24 hours. The
cubes were removed and cooled to room temperature, mortar got extracted and pounded
to powder then the pH level measured to reveal that copper tailings reduced the
possibility of corrosion by their low pH levels. Resisting sulphate attack was performed
when the cubes of concrete got immersed into 7.5% magnesium sulphate for 28 to 60
days and their weight measured. There was less reduction in weight in both control mix
and copper tailing mixed concrete cubes indicating good resistance to attack (Kahn,
2008).
3. Evaluation.
It was noted that the concrete density increased when the percentages of copper tailings
were increased in the concrete mix. This increase was a result of the higher copper
tailings’ specific gravity to the naturally occurring sand.

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A ratio of w/c 0.4 had the concrete mix with copper tailings having a greater compressive
strength if put into comparison with control mix. A rise in water-cement ratio produced
an exact trend in compressive strength analysis. Testing the flexural strength in the w/c
ratios of 0.4, 0.45 and rising produced a gradual rise in data gotten about the feature
(Kaushik, 2006).
Getting results from the experiment about pull-off strength made a notable indication that
using copper tailings in the concrete mix does not influence the pull-off strength in cover
zone mixed concrete. Also, the shrinkage test made copper tailing concrete mix come out
better since its size did not reduce when it got immersed. The value of shrinkage reduced
with the addition of copper tailings.
Water and permeability tests revealed that the permeability of water and air got reduced
since copper tailings filled the pores that existed in the control mix concrete cubes.

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The chloride permeability and alkalinity tests both proved and showed that concrete mix
with copper tailings was far much better performing.
4. Conclusion.
The experiments were carefully conducted to reveal the copper tailing concrete cement
features in comparison to the naturally occurring river sand. A concrete mix that lacked
any hint of copper tailings was used as a control mix. These tests were performed to
realize the pull-off strength, drying shrinkage, fast chloride permeability, sulphate attack
resistance and alkalinity, flexural strength, compressive strength and resistance to
abrasion. Hence a conclusion that an adoption of copper tailing in concrete mix provides
more durability and strength for use in activities in construction (Calkins, 2008).

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