Backfill mining is the only way to realize no-waste mining and create green mines, but complicated backfill mining technology, high mining costs, and low-production capacity greatly restrict its application in low-quality iron mines. To reduce the cost of iron ore backfill mining, a large number of low-cost green backfill cementing materials have been developed in China over the past 10 years. This paper first introduces the research and development of green cementitious materials using solid waste. Then, it points out the key technologies in the development of green filling cementing materials, reveals the hydration mechanism of green cementing materials through microscopic analysis and research, and optimizes the ratio of green cementing materials based on an orthogonal test. Finally, the development direction of green filling cementing materials is put forward: combining technology development with the filling mining method and filling process; taking the development route from technology to products and from products to commodities. To reduce the cost of filling mining and pursue the economic benefits of filling mining, a demonstration mine of tailings and green cementing materials is taken as the breakthrough point to comprehensively promote the development of iron ore full solid-waste filling mining technology and achieve its large-scale promotion and application.

During the production of open-pit mines, the stability of slopes can be affected by various factors such as structural surfaces, production blasting vibrations, and mining areas. In this study, the researchers focused on the slope of the open-pit mine at Yinshan and employed UAV mapping technology to conduct an on-site geological engineering investigation. Information on the yield, trace length, spacing, and density of the structural surface of the south slope was obtained. The researchers also carried out vibration blasting tests in combination with the production blasting activities in the mine to determine the blasting vibration attenuation law and whether the blasting vibration speed met safety specifications. Additionally, numerical simulation methods were used to examine the influence of the mining area on the stability of the current slope and the designed excavation slope. The slope stability was evaluated using the limit equilibrium method, and the researchers separately discussed the influence of self-weight load and self-weight load plus blasting vibration force on the stability of the high slope of the open pit. The results showed the following: (1) The rock mass structural plane in the south slope of the mining area was mainly dominated by a medium-large dip structural plane, and three faults and joint fissures in the investigation area combined to form cutting and sliding surfaces in the rock mass that were prone to collapse and sliding. (2) The maximum blasting vibration speed met safety requirements. (3) There was no large range of plastic zone damage in the entire slope, and the overall stability of the slope was good. (4) The present slope was relatively stable when considering only self-weight stress and the blasting vibration force. However, there was a certain risk of instability in the design of the excavation slope.

Although the traditional Sarma method considers the hydrostatic pressure effect, in the actual engineering, the hydraulic conditions are complex and most of them are nonhomogeneous hydraulic boundary conditions, this paper considers the nonhomogeneous hydraulic boundary conditions based on the traditional Sarma method, and based on the improved Sarma method model, the stability evaluation of the designed slope and the slope angle is carried out with the slope of the Aynak open-pit copper mine as the engineering background—optimization study. Firstly, the numerical simulation method carried out the stability analysis of the designed excavation slopes. Then the stability of the final boundary slopes was evaluated based on the improved Sarma method model. The optimization of the final boundary slope angle was carried out by combining the traditional classical limit equilibrium theory and the improved Sarma method model under the conclusion that the originally designed slopes were more stable. The optimal slope angle suitable for the actual working conditions was obtained.

In light of the engineering characteristics of fine-grained tailings, such as their high moisture content, high compressibility, difficult deposition, and difficult consolidation, and based on the summary and analysis of the experience of tailing dam construction in China and abroad, a new comprehensive treatment technology suitable for dam construction on a weak beach, which is composed of strengthening foundation with the soilbag, subdam stabilization, and collaborative drainage, is proposed. Taking a dam construction project on the weak beach of a tailing pond in China as the research object and through the study of the reinforcement mechanism of the soft beach treated using the soilbag method, it can be seen that the soilbag body has the mechanism of strength growth by sand fixation and water permeability and constraint formation and can achieve an overall stable effect of extrusion and silt replacement, stacking and surcharge, and flexible embedding in a weak beach. Using this method, combined with relevant monitoring technology, a good demonstration of dam construction speed of up to 30m/a and a safe dam construction height of up to 60m on a weak beach surface is achieved in a tailing dam construction project, which provides a good reference for the design and construction of fine tailing dam engineering and the cooperative disposal of adverse geological conditions.

Block caving is a promising method for large-scale underground extraction of low-grade orebodies, but its application requires reliable prediction of ore rock caving and associated ground response. This study develops a three-dimensional cavability assessment framework that integrates rock mass quality evaluation, analysis of surrounding rock failure mechanisms, Monte Carlo simulation of joint networks, and geostatistical modeling. The framework was applied to a gold mine, where fragmentation characteristics, caving body evolution, and surface ground movement over the mining life cycle were evaluated using fragmentation prediction and numerical simulation. The results show marked lithology-dependent differences in mechanical behavior and failure mode: limestone and biotite schist have relatively high strength, whereas andalusite schist is comparatively weak. Ore rock caving is jointly governed by intact rock strength, structural discontinuities, and post-peak failure behavior. Three-dimensional mining rock mass rating (MRMR) indicates that the orebody is mainly Class III, corresponding to moderate cavability, with the 1216 m, 1066 m, and 956 m levels identified as favorable initial undercut horizons. Although the deposit satisfies the basic conditions for block caving, continuous caving requires an initial undercut area of about 15,000 m², and fragmentation varies significantly with elevation. Numerical results indicate that the caving body evolves from a cone to a frustum-like geometry and reaches the ground surface in the ninth year. The predicted collapse and rock-movement areas are approximately 0.42 km² and 0.57 km², respectively, highlighting nonlinear, stage-wise, and spatially heterogeneous ground deformation.