Mining tailings and alkali activation: a comprehensive bibliometric review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Waste Management

Background:

• Annual generation of substantial mining tailings poses environmental and safety risks.
• Disposal in dams is a common but problematic practice.
• Exploring alternative uses for mining waste is crucial for sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of research on mining tailings as precursors for alkaline-activated materials.
• To analyze the main contributions and trends in this field.
• To identify key tailings types and research sub-areas.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric review of publications.
• Content analysis of research papers.
• Data sourced from Scopus and Web of Science databases.

Main Results:

• Significant growth in research interest observed between 2019 and 2021.
• Over 50% of the relevant papers were published during this period.
• Identification of the most frequently utilized tailings and specific research sub-areas.

Conclusions:

• Alkaline activation presents a promising avenue for valorizing mining tailings.
• The field has experienced rapid expansion, indicating growing scientific and industrial interest.
• Further research can focus on specific tailings and optimized activation processes.