TY - JOUR

T1 - Towards coal mining waste valorization: Gangue as resource for the production of geopolymer and related alkali-activated materials

AU - Lazorenko, Georgy

AU - Kasprzhitskii, Anton

AU - Yatsenko, E. A.

AU - Wensheng, Li

AU - Chaudhary, Sandeep

N1 - The analysis of physicochemical features of coal gangue, as well as the potential environmental and engineering applications of alkali-activated materials prepared using coal gangue were reviewed with the support by a grant Russian Science Foundation [Grant No. 24-79-10320, https://rscf.ru/en/project/24-79-10320/]. The overview of factors and process of preparing geopolymer and related alkali-activated materials from coal gangue is supported by the grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russian Federation [Agreement No. 075-15-2022-1111].

PY - 2025/7/3

Y1 - 2025/7/3

N2 - The high rate of coal production leads to the formation of huge amounts of waste and byproducts, including coal gangue (CG), which has become the largest industrial residue in the energy industry. Among new management strategies, recycling and valorization of CG to produce alkali-activated binder systems promises environmental and economic benefits, including carbon emission reduction, stabilization of contaminated or inert coal mining waste, and reduced consumption of primary resources used in the construction sector. This paper provides a critical and comprehensive review of earlier studies on using coal gangue as a resource for geopolymers and related alkali-activated materials (AAMs). More specifically, this review summarizes the physicochemical features of CG and discusses the main factors influencing the performance of AAMs based on them. The possible engineering uses of these materials are also covered. Additionally, it is important to note the limitations of coal gangue to make AAMs and identify where further research is needed.

AB - The high rate of coal production leads to the formation of huge amounts of waste and byproducts, including coal gangue (CG), which has become the largest industrial residue in the energy industry. Among new management strategies, recycling and valorization of CG to produce alkali-activated binder systems promises environmental and economic benefits, including carbon emission reduction, stabilization of contaminated or inert coal mining waste, and reduced consumption of primary resources used in the construction sector. This paper provides a critical and comprehensive review of earlier studies on using coal gangue as a resource for geopolymers and related alkali-activated materials (AAMs). More specifically, this review summarizes the physicochemical features of CG and discusses the main factors influencing the performance of AAMs based on them. The possible engineering uses of these materials are also covered. Additionally, it is important to note the limitations of coal gangue to make AAMs and identify where further research is needed.

KW - Alkali-activated materials

KW - Coal gangue

KW - Geopolymer

KW - Solid waste

KW - Sustainable development

KW - Valorization

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b35b7400-95e1-3893-8bdc-f5c18d8aef79/

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105001799549&origin=inward&txGid=5dbbd85c9b411fbe0016ad064bd1c9f7

U2 - 10.1016/j.grets.2025.100205

DO - 10.1016/j.grets.2025.100205

M3 - Article

VL - 3

JO - Green Technologies and Sustainability

JF - Green Technologies and Sustainability

SN - 2949-7361

IS - 3

M1 - 100205

ER -