Mine backfill is a well-established and proven practice within the underground mining industry. The wide application of backfill technologies in mining engineering helps to convert the resource into the reserve, reduce ore dilution, and improve underground working conditions. Due to the complex structures and various properties of backfill aggregates, binders, backfill slurry, mechanical testing methods, and the backfill recipes design and optimization, it is desired to better understand and investigate the fundamental issues of mine backfill.

Backfill masses in mine stopes usually have potential stratification and segregation, under high hydrostatic pressure, variable physical and chemical conditions, etc. Therefore, an improved evaluation of the backfill masses properties is of great importance, including the evolution characteristics from backfill slurry to solid state, the stress and strength characteristics of backfill, the interactions between backfill and rock masses, etc.

This Special Issue will collect high quality original research articles and review papers reflecting the advances in research into the mine backfill world-widely, including the mechanical behaviors, parameters optimization and alternative backfill materials. These collections could be based on theoretical analysis, numerical modeling, laboratory experiments and field applications in mines.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Aggregates characterization for mine backfill
• Cementitious materials and alternative binders for mine backfill
• Tailings performance in the process of thickening and filtration
• Rheological properties and flow characteristics of backfill slurry
• Strength characteristics and testing methods of mine backfill
• Stress distribution and evaluation of backfill in mine stopes
• Strength requirement and design for mine backfill
• Recipes optimization of mine backfill and additives
• Consolidation and liquefaction of backfill masses
• The advanced technology of cemented rock fill
• Environmental impact analysis of mine backfill
• Failure cases and successful cases of mine backfill