152 RECLAIMING POST-MINING LANDSCAPES THROUGH ENGINEERED MINERAL STABILIZATION: LESSONS FROM FIELD PRACTICE J. Yaworski¹*, N. Khan², N. Shrive³ ¹Geotechnical Engineering Specialist, Canada (*Presenting author: jim@duraflexglobal.com) ²,3Department of Civil Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada ABSTRACT Post-mining landscapes represent one of the most significant long-term environmental liabilities associated with mineral extraction. Globally, tailings storage facilities (TSFs) contain more than 200 billion tonnes of material, with annual production exceeding 14 billion tonnes and projected to increase substantially under critical mineral demand scenarios (UNEP, 2022; Global Tailings Review, 2020). Conventional remediation strategies - capping, excavation, off-site disposal, or hydraulic containment - often transfer risk rather than eliminate it, while imposing high carbon, financial, and social costs. This study introduces and validates an engineered mineral stabilization approach that shifts remediation from passive containment to active transformation of contaminated materials. Findings are presented here from field applications and laboratory investigations into engineered mineral stabilization systems designed to transform contaminated soils and tailings into structurally stable, low-permeability materials suitable for beneficial reuse. Drawing from multi-year applied research conducted in collaboration with the University of Calgary and verified by independent laboratories in North America and Europe, the study evaluates mechanical performance (unconfined compressive strength, porosity reduction), geochemical immobilization (TCLP/SPLP leachability testing), and long-term durability in aggressive environments. Results indicate substantial improvements, including increases in unconfined compressive strength, reductions in permeability, and consistent compliance with regulatory leachability limits. Field implementation at a large-scale industrial brownfield redevelopment in the United Kingdom demonstrated successful immobilization of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, enabling regulatory reclassification of previously hazardous soils and eliminating the need for landfill disposal. This field validation demonstrates scalability and regulatory acceptance under realworld conditions. Laboratory investigations confirmed significant reductions in permeability and sustained contaminant encapsulation under variable curing conditions, confirming longterm performance stability under environmentally variable conditions. . The results demonstrate that mineral stabilization fundamentally shifts post-mining management from containment to transformation - converting waste liabilities into engineered resources. This approach contributes to circular mining frameworks by reducing raw material demand, minimizing hauling emissions, and improving long-term geotechnical performance. Unlike conventional remediation methods, this approach eliminates waste rather than redistributing it, enabling direct integration into infrastructure applications. The findings provide a transferable methodology for large-scale reclamation, infrastructure integration, and responsible mineral development.
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