The most common type of binder for mine backfill is ordinary portland cement (OPC) (Type I or Type 10) because it is usually the most readily available.

Other common binders are typically pozzolans that react with the products of cement hydration to form other cementitious compounds. Pozzolans can be used to replace 30-75% of the portland cement in a mix.

Examples include:

Fly Ash (PFA): a very fine ash collected by cyclones and hydrostatic precipitators in coal burning power plants.

Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (BFS): a product of the steel making industry. It can be used as a partial or total replacement of OPC however lime must be added in the absence of any OPC.

Others  -ground waste glass, natural pozzolans