Surface cemented paste tailings disposal (SPD) has become a useful practice in many mines around the world. The method is a sustainable tailings management that returns tailings to fill the surface cavities and subsidence caused by mining operations, thereby maximising the safety, efficiency and environment of tailings management. This study was conducted to manifest the mechanical responses of the SPD cover layer induced by freezing and thawing cycle (FTC). It shows that with an increase of FTCs, lots of microcracks are formed, scaled and spalled on the sample's surface. The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of SPD specimens decrease with increasing FTCs. The reduction of the specimen with a higher cement-to-tailing ratio and longer curing age is smaller than that with lower cement content. The logarithm equation can be available to estimate the UCS values of SPD with the measured data of UPV. The results may be helpful to better understand not only SPD for sustainable tailings management but also the enhancement of the rehabilitation of subsidence in mine regions.

在世界各地的许多矿山中，表面胶浆尾矿处理（SPD）已成为一种有用的做法。该方法是一种可持续的尾矿管理，可将尾矿返回填满由采矿作业引起的地表空腔和沉陷，从而最大程度地提高尾矿管理的安全性，效率和环境。进行这项研究以显示SPD覆盖层由冷冻和解冻循环（FTC）引起的机械响应。它表明，随着FTC的增加，在样品表面上会形成许多微裂纹，结垢并剥落。SPD标本的单轴抗压强度（UCS）和超声脉冲速度（UPV）随着FTC的增加而降低。水泥与尾料比较高且固化时间较长的试样的还原量要小于水泥含量较低的试样。对数方程可用于通过UPV的测量数据估算SPD的UCS值。结果可能有助于更好地了解SPD不仅可以实现可持续的尾矿管理，而且还可以提高矿区的沉陷恢复能力。