As the need to address environmental concerns in mining and the demand for critical metals and minerals increase, historical tailings are among the mining waste repositories being sought after. However, there is only limited information available about such repositories, and hence there is a need to fill these knowledge gaps. In this paper, a conceptual framework is proposed for how relevant information about historical tailings can be generated and structured in a systematic manner. The case of the closed Yxsjöberg mine in Sweden is used to demonstrate how this framework is being used. A site-specific sampling strategy and technique was identified, and based on the observed lithology, tailings particles were studied to understand their distribution across the repository. Using Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA), the modal mineralogy, mineral associations, and mineral liberation by particle size of the tailings were determined. The Smaltjärnen tailings repository of Yxsjöberg has potential for critical metals and minerals, including tungsten (W) and fluorite (CaF₂) but also contains minerals of environmental concern as pyrrhotite and pyrite. It has on average 0.15% WO₃ concentration in the sampled locations, indicating approximately 3300 tons of WO₃ in the repository. Scheelite mineral grains are mostly (>50 wt%) locked in tailings particles that have a number of mineral grains (binary, ternary or even more complex) in the dominating particle size fraction −600 to +149 μm. Mineral locking is mostly with calcium-bearing minerals ilvaite, fluorite and garnet-gross-andradite. Pyrrhotite has been the most reactive acid-generating mineral, and hence is more depleted than pyrite in the weathered locations. The heterogeneity of tailings across the repository suggests a possible existence of geometallurgical domains that require further assessment to evaluate their metallurgical performance. The obtained information and knowledge about these tailings will hereinafter be used to develop sustainable processes for remediation and recovery of the critical metals and minerals.

随着解决采矿中环境问题的需求以及对关键金属和矿物的需求增加，历史上的尾矿成为了人们所追捧的采矿废物库。但是，关于此类存储库的信息很少，因此需要填补这些知识空白。在本文中，提出了一个概念框架，用于如何以系统的方式生成和构造有关历史尾矿的相关信息。瑞典Yxsjöberg露天矿的案例用来说明如何使用该框架。确定了特定地点的采样策略和技术，并根据观察到的岩性对尾矿颗粒进行了研究，以了解其在整个储层中的分布。使用矿物解放分析（MLA），模态矿物学，通过尾矿的粒度确定矿物的缔合和矿物的释放。Yxsjöberg的Smaltjärnen尾矿库有潜在的重要金属和矿物质，包括钨（W）和萤石（CaF₂）但也含有与环境有关的矿物，如黄铁矿和黄铁矿。它在采样位置平均具有0.15％的WO ₃浓度，表明约3300吨WO ₃在存储库中。白钨矿矿物颗粒主要（> 50 wt％）被锁定在尾矿颗粒中，尾矿颗粒中有许多矿物颗粒（二元，三元或什至更复杂），其主要颗粒尺寸分数为-600至+149μm。矿物锁闭主要是含钙矿物的伊洛石，萤石和石榴石-红闪石。硫铁矿一直是产生酸的活性最高的矿物，因此在风化的地区比黄铁矿耗竭更多。整个库房尾矿的异质性表明可能存在地质冶金区域，需要进一步评估以评估其冶金性能。所获得的有关这些尾矿的信息和知识将在下文中用于开发可持续的方法，以修复和回收关键金属和矿物。