Microbially induced mineralization for mine tailings treatment: Progress, challenges, and future prospects

Mine tailings are among the largest solid wastes generated by the mining industry, and their long term accumulation poses persistent environmental pressures and geotechnical safety concerns. In recent years, microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising bio mediated technology for tailings treatment because it can simultaneously improve structural stability, reduce contaminant mobility, suppress dust emissions, and enhance the potential for resource utilization. This review provides a critical and application oriented synthesis of recent advances in MICP for mine tailings management. Rather than offering a simple summary of individual studies, it organizes current knowledge around four engineering functions, including tailings dam reinforcement, heavy metal immobilization, surface dust control, and value added utilization of tailings materials, and further links treatment performance to the underlying biogeochemical and microstructural mechanisms. Particular attention is given to additive assisted MICP strategies. Organic and inorganic additives are systematically classified, and their effects on bacterial activity, nucleation behavior, crystal morphology, reaction environment, and engineering performance are comparatively evaluated. On this basis, the review identifies the key factors governing treatment effectiveness across different tailings types and service conditions. Major barriers to field implementation are also critically discussed, including low and heterogeneous treatment efficiency, high reagent and delivery costs, uncertain field adaptability, and insufficient evidence on long term durability. Finally, a future research framework is proposed that integrates mechanism clarification, additive optimization, multi scale performance evaluation, and field oriented process design. This review aims to provide a clearer scientific basis and a more practical roadmap for advancing MICP from laboratory studies to engineering application in mine tailings management.