Paterson & Cooke recently welcomed mining professionals to Cape Town, South Africa, for our annual Backfill Design & Operation Course, held from 7 to 9 September 2026. We reflect on the highlights, and find out what our delegates had to say about this event.
This paper re-assesses the role of Portland-limestone cements in cemented paste backfill by reviewing underlying mechanisms, published performance data, and environmental implications.
In this technical article, we look at the design of the paste backfill system for MMG Khoemacau Zone 5 Mine, where long paste reticulation distances, high-pressure pumping requirements, and ultra-fine tailings presented a number of engineering challenges.
This paper compares three case studies that explore test work on ultra-fine copper tailings with a significant micro-sized fraction, providing insights into the solutions for achieving effective paste backfill in these new mining environments.
This paper presents a case study of an optimisation of a CAF material by the addition of tailings in order to increase the paste fraction of the material. The main aim was to decrease the angle of repose to improve filling ability in addition to decreasing the required binder content.