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Technologies for Green and Sustainable Mining

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1768

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Methane and Outburst Hazards Assessment Laboratory Group, Central Laboratory for Research and Measurements, Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Śląskie, Poland
Interests: vitrification; tannery industry; sewage sludge; thermal treatment; coal mine methane hazards; coal mine fire hazards; coal mine outburst hazards

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mining plays a critical role in the global supply chain, in particular, of rare earth elements and critical minerals, essential for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and modern electronics, without which the process of green transformation cannot take place, thus increasing the pressure to meet the ever-growing global needs. At the same time, mining as one of the most resource-intensive industries is expected to address this demand in a sustainable manner, requiring the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices, cleaner technologies, and responsible management of resources to reduce environmental impact and resource depletion while maintaining profitability.

By focusing on optimizing extraction processes, improving waste management, and implementing efficient recovery methods for byproducts, mining operations can minimize waste and enhance resource efficiency. This approach allows for the sustainable production of rare earth elements while reducing energy consumption, water use, and carbon emissions. The challenge lies in balancing the growing demand for critical minerals with environmental and societal considerations, but there is significant potential for mining to contribute to a closed-loop system where resources are managed responsibly, fostering long-term sustainability.

This Special Issue on “Technologies for Green and Sustainable Mining” welcomes research and review papers on current and future technologies and strategies for sustainable mining operation, addressing one or more of the following topics:

  • Dry processing technologies;
  • Low-carbon processing;
  • Net-zero mining;
  • Carbon capture and storage;
  • Circular economy and waste valorization;
  • Waste-to-resource innovations;
  • Responsible mineral sourcing.

Dr. Piotr Celary
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • net-zero mining
  • low-carbon processing
  • circular economy
  • waste valorization
  • waste-to-resource innovations
  • dry processing technologies
  • carbon capture and storage
  • responsible mineral sourcing
  • rare earth elements

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

34 pages, 10695 KiB  
Article
Energy Consumption Reduction in Underground Mine Ventilation System: An Integrated Approach Using Mathematical and Machine Learning Models Toward Sustainable Mining
by Hussein A. Saleem
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031038 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1180
Abstract
This study presents an integrated approach combining the Hardy Cross method and a gradient boosting (GB) optimization model to enhance ventilation systems in underground mines, with a specific application at the Jabal Sayid mine in Saudi Arabia. The Hardy Cross method addresses variations [...] Read more.
This study presents an integrated approach combining the Hardy Cross method and a gradient boosting (GB) optimization model to enhance ventilation systems in underground mines, with a specific application at the Jabal Sayid mine in Saudi Arabia. The Hardy Cross method addresses variations in airflow resistance caused by obstacles within ventilation pathways, enabling accurate predictions of the flow distribution across the network. The GB model complements this by optimizing fan placement, pressure control, and airflow intensity to achieve reduced energy consumption and improved efficiency. The results demonstrate significant improvements in fan efficiency, optimized energy usage, and enhanced ventilation effectiveness, achieving a 31.24% reduction in electricity consumption. This study bridges deterministic and machine learning methodologies, offering a novel framework for the real-time optimization of underground mine ventilation systems. By combining the Hardy Cross method with GB, the proposed approach outperforms traditional techniques in predicting and optimizing airflow distribution under dynamic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies for Green and Sustainable Mining)
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