Advancing circular economy and construction sustainability: transforming mine tailings into high-value cementitious and alkali-activated concrete

Recycling mine tailings in concrete production offers transformative potential for the resource-intensive construction sector. This review critically examines studies on utilizing tailings in cementitious and alkali-activated concrete, covering physicochemical properties, mineralogy, activation, performance, toxicity, and sustainability. It starts from fundamental characteristics and multiple utilization channels to the engineering performance and latest industrialization advancements. Our aim is to provide valuable insights and help shape a roadmap for future interdisciplinary research efforts.