Mining and construction waste in the Amazon (Brazil) as a basis for the production of ecological bricks

Abstract

The generation of large volumes of tailings from mining projects is a cause for concern, as is the increase in waste from civil construction, both of which have caused various environmental problems in Brazil and around the world. It is therefore necessary to find alternatives for reusing this waste and minimizing the impacts generated by its disposal, which often takes place in inappropriate locations and generates environmental impacts. In the search for an option, this study aims to analyze the quality of soil cement bricks made with different compositional traits, focusing on the use of bauxite tailings and construction waste. The bricks produced were subjected to granulometric analysis, water absorption analysis, preliminary analysis, compressive strength test, abrasion test and dimensional analysis, in order to verify that they are within the parameters established by the standards for the production and use of soil cement bricks. The results showed that the bricks produced from bauxite tailings and construction waste, using different mixtures, meet the physical parameters required by current Brazilian standards, pointing to the reuse of tailings as inputs for construction work.