E-commerce mineral resource footprints: Investigating drivers for sustainable mining development

Abstract

As global economies surge, the escalating demand for precious mineral resources raises environmental concerns regarding mining activities. This study explores factors influencing e-commerce mineral resource footprints in six resource-rich economies from 1996 to 2022. Analyzing relationships between various factors and e-commerce mineral resource footprints, the study identifies key drivers of sustainability in the mining industry, informing policy decisions for responsible resource management. The findings reveal that mining resource incentives, combustible renewable waste, renewable energy demand, and economic growth contribute to increased footprints, while mining resource information has the opposite effect. Causality estimates confirm that resource incentives, combustible renewable waste, and renewable energy cause e-commerce mining footprints. The study corroborates hypotheses, such as mining resource incentives driving green energy development. Impulse response function and variance decomposition analysis predict future trends, offering valuable insights for policy decisions promoting responsible resource management and a sustainable future.