Utilization of chrome ore concentration plant tailings as fine aggregate in ready-mixed concrete

Abstract

Large amount of the chrome ore concentration plant tailings was discarded during chrome ore mining process. The accumulation of the tailings takes large areas of land for the storage and causes environmental and safety problems. When the annual consumption of the ready mixed concrete per person (approximately 1.5 m3/person) in Turkey is considered, employment of the tailings in the ready-mixed concrete may be a solution for the recovery of the tailings. In addition, using chrome tailings as a substitution for sand to produce ready-mixed concrete is a possible way to solve the resource problem of sand deficiency. The aim of this study is to investigate the utilization of the tailings taken from a chrome ore concentration plant in Eskisehir, Turkey as fine aggregate in ready-mixed concrete production. For this purpose, the tailings were partially replaced with the fine aggregate by the weight at 0, 10, 20 and 30% proportions by weight in the ready-mixed concrete mixtures. Standard curing is applied until the time of test to the 15x15x15 cm cube specimens taken from the mixtures. The unit weight, compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity values of the cubic specimens were investigated in this study. Performed tests showed that replacing sand to chrome ore tailings has a potential for further investigations.