Cement Stabilization is a ground improvement and waste management technique in which Portland cement or other cementitious binders are mixed with soils, tailings, or mineral waste materials to improve their geotechnical properties, reduce permeability, and immobilize potentially hazardous contaminants. In mining operations across bauxite, iron ore, gold, and diamond sectors, cement stabilization is widely applied in the management of tailings storage facilities (TSFs), backfill operations, and rehabilitation of disturbed land. When cement is added to fine-grained tailings or slimes, it reacts with moisture through hydration reactions to form calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and other cementitious compounds, binding particles together and significantly increasing compressive strength and reducing hydraulic conductivity. This process is critical for ensuring the long-term stability of waste dumps and tailings dams, which must withstand seismic loads, extreme rainfall events, and other geotechnical stressors. In underground mining, cemented paste backfill (CPB) uses a combination of tailings, cement, and water to fill mined-out stopes, providing ground support and reducing subsidence risk. Cement stabilization also plays a role in covering and capping mine waste sites during closure, encapsulating heavy metals and other leachable substances to prevent acid mine drainage (AMD) and protect groundwater quality. Proportioning of cement, water-to-cement ratios, and curing conditions are carefully engineered to achieve the required mechanical and chemical performance.
