A

SEMINAR REPORT
ON
PASTE FILL TECHNOLOGY
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Bachelor of Technology
(Mining Engineering)

SESSION 2022-2023

Submitted By : Guided By :
SANJAY CHOUDHARY DR. ANUPAM BHATNAGAR
Professor & HOD
Final B.Tech (Mining Engineering) Department of Mining Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING

COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology
UDAIPUR – 313001 (Rajasthan)
 DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
College of Technology and Engineering
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Engineering
Udaipur-313001 Rajasthan

DECLARATION BY STUDENT
The seminar work compiled in this report titled “PASTE FILL TECHNOLOGY”,
submitted for the award of degree of Bachelor of Technology in Department of Mining
Engineering of Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Raj.), is

compilation work of literature carried out by me under the supervision of Professor & Head
of Department Dr. Anupam Bhatnagar, Department of Mining Engineering, College of
Technology and Engineering, Udaipur. The contents of the seminar report are prepared by me
and either partially or fully, have not been submitted or will not be submitted, as it is to any
other Institute or University for the award of any degree or diploma.
I, declare that I have adequately cited and referenced the original sources
used in this seminar report. I also declare that I have adhered to all principles of academic
honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any
idea/data/fact/ source in my submission.

Date: _________ Sanjay Choudhary

Final Year B.Tech (Mining
Engineering)
 DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
College of Technology and Engineering
Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Engineering
Udaipur-313001 Rajasthan

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that seminar report entitled Artificial Neural Network in Mining
Industry has been prepared and is submitted by Mr. Nilesh student of IV Year B.Tech.
(Mining), Session: 2022-23, Semester – Second, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for
award of the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mining Engineering from Maharana
Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur-313001 Rajasthan.
This work has been carried out independently by the student under my supervision and
guidance. This seminar report is hereby approved for submission. This work has been carried
out independently by the student under my supervision and guidance. This seminar report is
hereby approved for submission.

Date: _______ Dr. Anupam bhatnagar

Professor & head of department
Department of Mining Engineering
College of Technology and Engineering
Udaipur-313001
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I place my gratitude and thanks to Dr. Anupam Bhatnagar, department of mining

engineering, CTAE Udaipur for his keen interest, inspiring guidance, constant
encouragement with my work during all stages.
I extend my sincere thanks to our professor Dr. S.C. Jain sir for providing excellent
platform and resources to carry out my seminar on this topic.
I would like to thank all the teachers of Department of Mining Engineering, College of
Technology and Engineering Udaipur, for sharing their knowledge on my seminar topic and
also like to express my thanks to my friends who suggested and provided necessary books
related to the topic.

Date: ________ (Sanjay Choudhary)

B.Tech Final Year
(Mining Engineering)
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure no. Description Page no.
Figure 4.1 Slump test 6
Figure 4.2 Yield stress -time graph 6
Figure 6.1 Flow sheet 8

Figure 6.2 Paste flow diagram 9

Figure 7.1 Paste filling in stope void 10

Figure 7.2 Mild steel pipe and high density polyethylene (HDPE) 10
pipe (8 inch diameter)

Figure 7.3 Cement silo and paste filling pipe 11

Figure 8.3 Monitoring pipe 12
Figure 8.4 Monitoring and controlling device 12
Figure 10.1 Network of paste fill in underground mine 13
Figure 10.2 Network of paste filling in UG 14
Figure 10.3 Transportation via pipelines of paste filling at RAM 14
Figure 11.1 Paste barricades 15
Figure 13.1 Specifications of equipment’s 17
 CONTENTS
S.NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO.
1 1. INTRODUCTION 1-2
1.1. Paste filling
1.2. Principal of paste fill
1.3. Reason for doing paste filling
2 2. ORDER OF ACTIVITY 3
3. 3. PASTE FILL BEHAVIOUR 3-4
3.1. Rheology of Newtonian and Non Newtonian Fluid
Graph
4. 4. SLUMP TEST 5- 6
5. HMETHODS OF MAKING PASTE FILL 6-8
5.1 Dry Plant
5.1.1 advantages of Dry Plant
5.1.2 disadvantages of Dry Plant
5.2 Wet Plant
5.2.1 advantages of wet Plant
5.2.1 disadvantages of wet Plant
6. 6. PASTE FLOW PROCESS 8-9
7 7. PASTE FILL PROCESS 9-11
8 8. OPERATION, MONITORING AND QUALITY 11-12
CONTROL
8.1 Operation
8.2 monitoring
8.3 quality control
9 9. PASTE FILL CHARACTERISTICS 13
9.1 Particle size distribution
9.2 Rheological properties
9.3 Strength properties
10 10. PUMPING TRANSPORT & PLACEMENT 13-14
11 11. PASTE FILL BARRICADES 14-15
12 12. PASTE FILL DESIGN 15-16
12.1 flow properties
12.2 strength properties
13 13. MAJOR EQUIPMENTS 16-17
14 14. SOPs FOR PASTEFILL PLACEMENT 17
15 15. EMERGENCIES 18
16 16. BENEFITS OF PASTE TECHNOLOGY 18
17 17. CONCLUSION 19
 1. INTRODUCTION
Paste has been widely adopted as a technique in mining operations, particularly in
underground mining, to effectively manage mine tailings and waste materials. It involves the
preparation and placement of a paste-like mixture consisting of various components, such as
tailings, cement, water, and additives. This report provides a detailed overview of paste filling
in mining, encompassing its benefits, process, materials used, and challenges encountered.
“paste” is a densified uniform material of such mineralogical makeup and particle size
distribution, that it will bleed only minor quantities of water when at rest, experience
minimum segregation and can be moved in a pipe line at velocities well below that critical
velocities for similar sized material and lower pulp or solid densities .Paste can remain sitting
in a pipeline for extended periods of time when cementitious material is present.

1.1 Paste fill

Paste fill is dense non draining slurry made from single or combination of several suitable
Solid material produced to tooth paste consistency for surface disposal no cement required for
underground backfill cement always required.

1.2 Principal of paste fill

The principle of paste fill in metal mines is to utilize a paste-like mixture composed of
tailings, cement, water, and additives to fill underground voids or mined-out areas. This paste
fill serves multiple purposes and provides various benefits to metal mining operations..
Overall, the principal aim of paste fill in metal mines is to utilize a mixture of tailings,
cement, water, and additives to achieve waste management, ground support, resource
recovery, and environmental sustainability. By adhering to these principles, metal mining
operations can effectively manage their waste, ground support ,enhance safety conditions,
increase resource recovery, and minimize their environmental impact.

1.3 Reasons for doing paste filling

1.3.1 Waste Management: Paste filling provides an effective method for managing mining
waste, particularly tailings. By utilizing the tailings generated during the ore extraction
process, paste filling allows for the safe disposal and containment of waste materials
underground. This reduces the need for extensive surface tailings storage facilities,
minimizing the environmental impact associated with waste disposal.

1.3.2 Ground Support and Stability: Paste filling plays a crucial role in providing ground
support and enhancing the stability of underground mining operations. By filling mined-out
areas with paste, it helps prevent ground subsidence, surface collapse, and rockfalls. This
improves the safety conditions for miners and maintains the integrity of underground
structures.

1.3.3 Resource Recovery: Paste filling enables the extraction of additional ore reserves that
would otherwise be inaccessible or uneconomical to recover. By backfilling mined-out areas
with paste, valuable resources can be recovered more efficiently, increasing overall resource
recovery and reducing ore losses.

1.3.4 Environmental Sustainability: Paste filling contributes to environmental sustainability

in mining operations. It reduces the surface footprint of mining activities by consolidating
waste materials underground. This minimizes the disturbance of land, reduces the potential
for environmental contamination from tailings, and lowers the overall carbon footprint of the
mining operation.

1.3.5 Cost Reduction and Operational Efficiency: Paste filling can lead to cost savings and
improved operational efficiency. By utilizing tailings and other materials readily available on-
site, it reduces the need for additional materials and transportation costs. Additionally, the
consolidation of waste materials underground can improve the overall efficiency of mining
operations.

1.3.6 Regulatory Compliance: Paste filling helps mining operations comply with
environmental regulations and standards. It provides a responsible and sustainable approach
to waste management and tailings disposal, aligning with the requirements of environmental
agencies and communities.
 2. ORDER OF ACTIVITY
 A stope being declared empty after ore extraction by mine production and geology
personal and hander over to mine service crew for stope preparation.
 Mine service, mine planning, and backfill engineers visit the stope void and decide the
location for barricades and paste fill reticulation pipe connection.
 Mine planning issue written order to mine services crew to build barricades at
designated locations to accepted design standards, along with construction check lists
to be completed by construction team
 Mine planning, mine services and fill engineer monitor the barricade construction
activities and fill in the check lists and sign for quality assurance.
 Once both the barricade and pipeline are in place carryout a final inspection by
services, planning, and fill engineers.
 Mine planning to prepare a stope fill note and risk assessment note and call for a
meeting of all stake holders.
 Carryout the stope fill risk assessment, identify if any actions to be completed before
filling commences, sign off the stope fill note and risk assessment by all stake holders.
 Final approval to fill the stope given by mine manager based on the completes risk
assessment and mine manager signs the document.
 Mine service monitor fill placement continuously and reports to all stake holder daily.
 Mine services monitor barricade performance and competency every shift and alert all
stake holders if the filling needs to be delayed or stopped to take actions.
 Once a stope is filled complete the stope fill note by including the fill placement
record and any other observations made during the filling operation.

3. PASTE FILL BEHAVIOUR

 Paste behaves as a non-settling slurry and therefore does not have a critical settling
velocity.
 In this case flow will occur when the driving head exceeds the wall shear stress.

 If paste has been delivered at too high a pulp density, flow will not occur and the paste
could block the borehole and pipelines.
  Shear rate is determined from

8V
ϒ=
D

Where Y = shear rate at wall of the pipe (1/s)

V=Fluid velocity (m/s)

D= Internal diameter of pipe (m)

For a typical paste fill system shear rate wil range from 25-80/5 at 80m³/hr

3.1 Rheology of Newtonian and Non Newtonian Fluid Graph

4. SLUMP TEST
The slump test is a standard test performed on freshly mixed concrete to measure its
consistency and workability. It is a simple and widely used test in the construction industry to
determine the water content in the concrete mixture and to ensure it meets the desired
specifications.
Here's how the slump test is typically conducted:
1. Prepare the equipment: You will need a slump cone, a tamping rod, and a flat, non-
absorbent surface for the test.
2. Fill the cone: Place the slump cone on the flat surface and fill it in three equal layers with
freshly mixed concrete. Each layer should be compacted with a tamping rod to remove any air
voids.
3. Level the top: After filling the cone, level the concrete surface using the tamping rod,
making it flush with the top of the cone.
4. Remove the cone: Carefully lift the slump cone vertically upward, ensuring no disturbance
to the concrete inside.
5. Measure the slump: Measure the decrease in height of the concrete specimen from the top
of the cone to the highest point of the slumped concrete. This measurement represents the
slump value and indicates the workability of the concrete.

The slump value is typically recorded in millimeters. It provides an indication of how easily
the concrete flows and how well it can be handled and compacted. The slump test helps
ensure that the concrete has the right consistency for the intended application, such as pouring
into formwork or molding into specific shapes.

Different types of concrete mixtures may have specific slump requirements depending on
factors like the construction method, weather conditions, and structural requirements.
Therefore, it's important to consult the relevant standards or project specifications to
determine the acceptable slump range for a particular concrete mix.
 Maximum slump of 250mm (10 inch).
 Exhibits minimal water bleed when left idle.
 For flowability rate.
 Fig 4.1 : Slump test

Fig 4.2 : yield stress -time graph

5. METHODS OF MAKING PASTE FILL

5.1 Dry Plant

5.2 Wet Plant

5.1 DRY PLANT

A dry plant is so named because it uses dry tailings from tailings dams that are no longer in
use because they are full and have had time to dry out. This reduces the need for the mine to
find room for another tailings dam once the dam is emptied.
This type of plant uses a continuous run mixing system to mix dry tailings from a tailings
dam, cement/binder and water.

5.1.1 Advantages of Dry Plants

Uses a waste product that could otherwise be an environmental issue,

Has a short curing time, 2 to 4 weeks depending on the size of the stope, the solids content
and the binder content used.

Very little waste water produced as all of the water in the paste is used in the curing process.

Generally Paste fill doesn't require pumping as it is gravity fed via pipelines for deep mines.
Shallow mines may require a positive displacement pump to obtain the required continuous
flow rate.

5.1.2 Disadvantage of Dry Plant

This type of plant can't operate when it's raining.High cost due to the cement/binder content
required, delivery of the tailings, the drilling of holes, installation of pipelines & building of
bulkheads at the draw points.

5.2 Wet Plant

A wet plant is so named because it uses the wet tailings directly from the milling process
which cuts down on the size of the tailings dams required on the mining lease.

5.2.1. Advantages of Wet Plant

• Uses a waste product that could otherwise be an environmental issue.

Has a short curing time, 2 to 4 weeks depending on the size of the stope, the solids content
and the binder content used.
Very little waste water produced underground as all of the water in the paste is used in the
curing process.

5.2.2 Disadvantage of Wet Plant

Plant needs to be relatively close to the mill.
Pumps the tailings through banks of cyclones to remove most of the water and very fine
material and then dries the tailings over a vacuum drying conveyor, then has cement/binder
and water added to the mix.
Higher costs due to the extra equipment required and the associated maintenance, the
cement/binder content required, drilling of holes, installation of pipelines and building of
bulkheads at the draw points.

6. Paste flow process

 Tailing from Concentrator plant
 Thickening to 70% solids
 Filtration 84% solids
 Mixing with 8% cement
 Paste of 79.1% solids

Fig 6.1 flow sheet

 Fig 6.2 : Paste flow diagram

7. Paste fill proccess

7.1 Plug
• 13% cement in solid and water slurry.
• Fill upto 9m form lower level.
• Till next 24 hours.
7.2 Bulk
• Divided in three section.
• Section A :- 10+2 cement & ash.
• Section B :- 8+2 cement & ash.
• Section C :- 6+2 cement & ash .
• Barricade and Bund is develop at lower & upper level respectively.
 Fig7.1 : paste filling in stope void

Fig 7.2 : Mild steel pipe and high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe (8 inch
diameter)
 Fig 7.3 : cement silo and paste filling pipe

8. Operation, Monitoring and Quality Control

Operation, monitoring, and quality control for paste filling in a metal mine are crucial for
ensuring efficient and safe mining operations. Paste filling is a technique used to backfill
mined-out areas with a mixture of tailings, cement, and water, creating a stable and supportive
structure. Here are the key aspects of operation, monitoring, and quality control for paste
filling in a metal mine:

8. 1 Operation:
8.1.1 Planning: Develop a detailed paste filling plan that considers the geological conditions,
mine design, and required strength of the backfill.
8.1.2 Material preparation: Ensure proper preparation of the paste fill materials, including
tailings processing, cement mixing, and water control.
8.1.3 Transportation: Establish an efficient system for transporting the paste fill material
from the preparation plant to the mining areas.
8.1.4 Placement: Use specialized equipment to accurately place the paste fill material into the
mined-out areas, ensuring proper distribution and compaction.
8.2 Monitoring:
8.2.1 Instrumentation: Install monitoring instruments, such as pressure sensors, settlement
gauges, and inclinometers, to track the behavior of the paste fill and detect any potential
issues.
8.2.2 Data collection: Regularly collect data from the monitoring instruments to assess the
performance of the paste fill and identify any deviations from the expected behavior.
8.2.3 Quality checks: Perform periodic quality checks on the paste fill, including testing its
strength, density, and flow properties, to ensure it meets the required specifications.
8.2.4 Environmental monitoring: Monitor and manage any potential environmental impacts
associated with paste filling, such as water quality and groundwater interactions.

8.3 Quality Control:

8.3.1 Process control: Implement robust process controls to ensure consistent and accurate
mixing of the paste fill materials, including cement dosing, water content, and tailings-to-
cement ratio.
8.3.2 Sampling and testing: Regularly sample the paste fill material at various stages of
production and conduct laboratory tests to verify its quality, including slump tests, strength
tests, and mineralogical analysis.
8.3.3 Documentation: Maintain comprehensive records of the paste filling operations,
monitoring data, quality test results, and any corrective actions taken.
8.3.4 Continuous improvement: Analyze the collected data, identify areas for improvement,
and implement necessary changes to optimize the paste filling process and enhance its
efficiency and safety.

It is important to note that specific guidelines and regulations may vary depending on the
jurisdiction and local mining practices. Therefore, it is essential to adhere to the applicable
regulations and industry best practices while performing paste filling operations in a metal
mine.
Fig 8.3 : monitoring pipe Fig 8.4 : monitoring and controlling device

9. Paste Fill Characteristics

9.1 Particle size distribution

-Minimum 15% passing 20 micron

-No top size

9.2 Rheological properties

-Yield stress for surface disposal less than 100 Pa

-Yield stress for backfill 100 to 700 Pa

9.3 Strength properties

Stiffness, E-150 to 450 MPa Can be engineered to desired strength (100 kPa to 5 mPa)

10.Pumping Transport and Placement

After mixing, the paste can be either discharged into a concrete pump hopper or through a
borehole to the lower mine workings. Typically, paste will flow under gravity at an angle
greater than 30", making selection of the backfill plant location very important. For such
plants, a positive displacement pump would normally be installed for clearing line blockages
and for cleaning out the pipeline
Fig 10.1 : network of paste fill in underground mine

Fig10.2 . network of paste filling in UG

 Fig 10.3. Transportation via pipelines of paste filling at RAM

11.Paste fill barricades

11.1 Shotcrete barricades required to retain paste fill
11.1.1 Arched
11.2 Mullock waste pile
11.3 Combination of waste and shotcrete
11.4 Cemented rockfill
 Fig 11.1. Paste barricades

12. Paste Fill Design

Paste fill is engineered to meet the following criteria:
12.1.Flow properties (rheology)
i) delivery of paste from surface to underground via boreholes and pipes at the
highest practical pulp density.
12.2.Strength properties
i) paste to remain stable when exposed to static or dynamic loading conditions
experienced by the mining operation
12.3 This includes short term during the local mining operation
12.4 Long term stability against regional seismicity.
 Table 12 Paste plant detail (Rampura agucha mine)

13. MAJOR EQUIPMENTS :

 Vaccum pumps
 Compressed Air System
 Conveyor
 Mixer
 Cement storage/Conveying system
 Slurry/Water pumps
 Agitated/non Agitated tanks
 Thickener
 Vaccum Disc Filter

13.1 Technical reference

 paste fill system design reports by golders

 mine plaining guidelines at RAM
 paste fill plant operation manual
 publication on paste fill and geomechanics of mine fil
 laboratory testing procedures for UCS test and slump
 glossary of mine fill technology

Fig.13.1. Specifications of equipment’s

 14. SOPS for Pastefill Placement
 SOP for paste fill reticulation installation.
 SOP for timber barricade installation SOP for shotcrete barricade installation.
 SOP for waste rock placement into a stope void.
 SOP for working at height and paste fill placement inspection SOP for
underground paste fill sampling, slump testing, UCS test.
 cylinder casting, curing the paste samples SOP for UCS testing and reporting.
 SOP for paste fill strength selection based on stope geometry.
 SOP for stope fill note and risk assessment note preparation SOP for paste fill
placement progress reporting.

15. Emergencies
 16. Benefits of Paste Technology
 1. Typically lower cement content
 2. Pipeline delivery (more efficient delivery method for high volume flow rates
than trucking)
 3. Minimal dilution compared to CHF and CRF
 4. Utilization of tailings/waste materials readily available on site
 5. Complete filling of a void to the back of the opening
 6. Homogeneous strengths in the paste mix design (no zones of weakness)
compared to CHF and CRF.
 7. Flexibility in formula design for different applications.

CONCLUSION
Paste has been used very successfully in the mining industry as a method of ground control
and is a proven method of recovering pillars and increasing reserves. Paste generally requires
less cement than hydraulic fill to achieve the target strength, which is usually the primary
contributor to the operating cost of placing backfill.Paste technology is gaining importance
because of its economic and environmental advantages Paste backfill was considered a high
risk/high cost option. Paste is being used as backfill and ground support at many underground
mines around the world. The discussion in this seminar demonstrates areas of improvement
that can be achieved in an underground mine by backfilling with paste rather than CHF or
CRF/CAF and also the advantages of tailings disposal as Paste.Technological advancements
in backfill methods and surface disposal by Paste and Thickened tailings for the Indian
Mining Industry will go a long way insolving and/or mitigating many a problem.The
technology for producing and transporting paste is now well establishedThe advantages
include direct benefits and indirect benefits to the mining worldwide and is in the process of
being introduced in a few Indian mines. operation. It is recommended to follow a systematic
approach for the application of paste technology for any Indian mining scenario beginning
with material testing and feasibility studies to investigate the potential benefits paste
technology.