General Characteristics

HiFa Bond is a dark grey, high water absorption and fast setting binder, made from several natural materials in the Earth crust. It was developed recently by DGI Ltd. in collaboration with CUMT at Xuzhou. It possesses these major features:

- no sands or aggregates necessary in application 
  (addition of hard materials will increase the strength),
- capable of absorbing large quantities of water 
  (up to 450% of its own weight),
- fast setting (becoming a solid in a few minutes 
  and the setting rate may be delayed for up to 24 hours),
- high early strength (up to 1.0 MPa in 1 hour and 
  over 3.0  MPa in 1 day),
- plastic deformability, particularly after failure,
- able to regrow after failure and maintain high 
  residual strength.

Typical Properties

1. Mineral Composition

main constituents:
Sulfate Aluminate Calcium 65 - 75%

2. Physical Properties

Typical particle size:  > 90% -3.25
Specific gravity range: 2.5 - 3.0

3. Rheological Properties

Water required for normal consistency:

   - when used with plain water alone: up to wt 250%,
   - when used with other solids: up to wt 450%.

Typical initial setting time: 

3 to 30 min. depending on the water content. 
The less water, the faster.

4. Mechanical Properties

Uniaxial compressive strength:

It varies depending on the HiFa Bond grade and the water content. 
Typically if used with water alone,

- at 250% of water, up to 1.8 MPa in 2 hours and 4.0 MPa in 24 hours,

Addition of solid will further increase the Strength.  
Typically if used with tailings,

- at 250% of water, up to 2.5 MPa in 2 hours and 4.3 MPa in 24 hours,
- at 450% of water, 1.0 MPa or more in 3 days.

Strength development:

Over 75% to 85% of the 28 days strength is usually developed 
within 24 hours.

Residual strength:

Typically, 60% to 120% of the peak strength can be obtained 
28 days after the strength failure.

Potential Applications

HiFa Bond can be used in many areas. It is extremely useful when water is a problem and high early strength is required. It has been applied in many underground mines as backfill and packing materials. Its application is far beyond the mining industry and has a huge potential in many other fields. The following are a few examples.

Ground reinforcement:
- reinforcing soft/weak ground
- reinforcing fractured rock
- reinforcing foundations
- filling voids
- cementing mine backfill
- coal mine roadway packing

Environment protection:
- solidifying tailings and drilling slurry
- preventing acid mine drainage
- stabilizing industrial wastes: liquid, paste or solid
-* stabilizing contaminated soils, sludge, sediments, etc.
- sealing groundwater and underground fire.

* The results of recent laboratory experiments and leaching analysis on contaminated soil sediments indicated that it is possible to reduce the PCB concentrations in leachate significantly while achieving relativel high geotechnical strength. Very satifactory results have also been achieved with many metal elements. There are more unpublished results.

Relevant Publications

• Zou, D.H. and W. Sahito, 2004. Suitability of tailings for shotcrete as a ground support. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 31, pp. 632-636.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 2003.Geotechnical and geochemical characteristics of solidified mine tailings. Mining Environmental Management, November, vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 22-25.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 2003. Tailings dry disposal. Mining Environmental Management. May 2003, pp. 17-20.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 2003. Experimental use of HiFa grouts for underwater strengthening. Proc. Soil and Rock America 2003, Cambridge, Massachusetts, pp. 1659-1664.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 2002. A new concept of mine tailings dry disposal. Proc. 55rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference, Niagara Falls, Ont., on CD-ROM (#G049), pp. 395-400.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 2000. Investigation of Strength Durability of S/S-Treated Sediments. Proc. 53rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference, Montreal, PQ, Vol. 1, pp. 273-279.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Y. Huang, 1999. A Proposed method of underwater capping for tailings disposal. Proc. Mining and the Environment II, Sudbury '99, Ont. (on CD- ROM).
  
• Zou, D.H. and L. Li., 1999. Strengthening of solidified dilute tailings slurry. Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Eng., Vol. 125, No 1, pp. 11-15.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Huang, Y. Oct., 1998. HiFa Bond for Treatment of Contaminated Soil Sediments. Report to DGI Ltd. and National Research Council Canada (IRAP Projectpr # 300129), 51p.
  
• Zou, D.H. and Huang, Y., Sept., 1997. Experimental study in treatment of contaminated soils. Proc. 19th Canadian Waste Management Conference, St. John's, NF, (on CD-ROM).
  
• Zou, D.H., Li, L. and Huang, Y., April, 1997. Laboratory study of strength characteristics of solidified tailings. Proc. 99th CIM Annual General Meeting, Vancouver, BC, (on CD-ROM).
  
• Zou, D.H. Steve, Jan., 1997. An innovative technology for tailings treatment. Proc. Tailings and Mine Waste'97, Fort Collins, Colorado, pp. 633 - 642.
  
• Zou, D.H., Li, L. and Huang, Y. January, 1997. Industrial application of HiFa Bond. Report to DZou Geomech. Int'l and National Research Council Canada (Project #04470E), 109p.

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Contact

For more information, please : contact Dr. Zou

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