Development Of Mineral Resources Research Articles

Mineral resource drivers in the global south: A case study of Australia

Mineral resource depletion directly restricts sustainable mineral development. This study investigates the drivers of sustainable mineral resource development via an evolutionary game model involving mineral firms, the Australian government, and financial institutions. The tripartite model provides a guide to strategies and interactions with external influences based on company liquidity. Leveraging panel data from Australian mining companies from 2015 to 2022, this study utilizes unconditional quantile regression techniques, culminating in three salient discoveries. First, despite financial limitations, small-to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can accumulate ample resources to enhance their green technology R&D and corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure through diverse financing methods, thereby creating an internal strategic impetus for CSR perpetuation. Second, by participating in CSR, mineral firms can transmit positive signals in an asymmetric market, which promotes their sustainable development. Finally, despite the Australian government's R&D tax refund policy incentivizing R&D investment, SMEs' lack of innovative capacity has led to the diversion of operational funds, which negatively impacts their sustainable development. These findings provide valuable insights for sustainable mineral resource development that extend beyond Australia to other Southern Hemisphere nations.

Arctic Dimensions of Jurisdiction and Raw Material Sovereignty: Problems of National Legal Systems Interaction

The paper is devoted to the legal regulation of economic activity in the Arctic. It is shown how rulemaking is designed to consolidate the maximum rights to use natural resources. Differentiation of approaches and the use of completely different methods of measuring them are inevitable then. One of them is the interpretation of such a category as sovereignty. It is considered to what extent it meets the constitutive criteria of jurisdiction, the choice in favor of one or another domestic legal system. The relativity of the recognition of conflict-of-laws principles of field availability is noted. The right to develop mineral resources is associated with jurisdictional activities in accordance with acts of national legislation, as well as with the fullness of legal norms  — the obvious universalization of jurisdictions. At the same time, quantitative indicators of sovereignty, if possible, can be established only in relation to the degree of influence of interstate organizations. The legal systems of the Arctic countries then minimize the risks of implementing the decisions taken. In this plane, they draw the desired watershed. Qualitative signs of sovereignty are much more important. This is a visible ability to remain a subject of international relations against the background of current crises, but also an explicit delimitation of jurisdictions first for international law enforcement institutions. Subsequently, it affects national civil rights protection systems.

Practical applications of quality assurance and quality control in mineral exploration, resource estimation and mining programmes: a review of recommended international practices

Independent quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programmes are required by reporting codes for publicly listed companies and are necessary to optimize data quality at all stages of the sampling, preparation and analytical processes involved in mineral exploration, resource estimation and mining grade control. QA/QC programmes should be adjusted over time to meet changing requirements in data quality at different stages of mineral resource development and exploitation. Certified reference materials are used to monitor accuracy and bias at the project laboratory relative to consensus values for the material from round-robin certification analyses. They are also used to monitor drift over time within an individual laboratory and to identify significant failures in QC at the analytical batch level caused by abrupt changes in concentration related to re-calibration of instruments or procedural changes at the laboratory. Duplicate analyses of sample material are generated at key stages of sampling and preparation to estimate the precision of data generated at each stage. Invariably, the largest source of uncertainty occurs during the initial sampling. Coarse blanks are used to monitor cross-contamination between samples or from sample preparation equipment. Furthermore, each of these QC sample types can be used to discover possible sample mix-ups. Supplementary material: An Excel spreadsheet for the calculation of the average coefficient of variation (CV AVE ) (Appendix C) is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7070137 Thematic collection: This article is part of the Reviews in Exploration Geochemistry collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/reviews-in-exploration-geochemistry

Research on Coal Mine Geological Exploration Based on Borehole Geological Radar

 Drilling geological radar has the advantages of high resolution, large detection depth, and high flexibility in the field of underground exploration, which can provide accurate and reliable data support for geological engineering, mineral resource development, and other fields. Based on the advancements in borehole geological radar detection technology, the borehole geological radar has been successfully introduced into a coal mine in Guizhou, and the actual on-site detection application is carried out. The research results show that the roadway and the evasion chamber can be clearly seen in the detection results of the 1901 aircraft transport alley, and there is an area of obvious signal anomaly in the 1808 return lane boring surface detection section. Drilling radar is applied to coal mine underground, the detection results have strong accuracy and reference, and the promotion and application of coal mine underground have broad prospects.

Resilience through mineral resource development, oil, and natural resource efficiency: Strengthening economies

This study examines the role of resilience in bolstering economies via the development of mineral resources and oil, alongside adaptability and natural resource efficiency, particularly within the G7 economies from 1995 to 2022. Employing the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model, the research aims to unravel the complexities of how resource-rich economies can leverage their natural assets to enhance economic resilience and sustainability. The investigation reveals a positive correlation between the strategic development of mineral resources, oil, and the adaptability of economies to external shocks, highlighting the critical importance of natural resource efficiency in ensuring long-term economic stability and growth. These findings underscore the necessity for G7 nations to implement policies that not only foster the responsible exploitation and development of natural resources but also promote adaptability and efficiency in resource use. The study's policy implication suggests a paradigm shift towards more sustainable and resilient economic models, emphasizing the balanced integration of resource development and environmental stewardship.

Deployment of clean energy technologies towards carbon neutrality under resource constraints

The core of the energy transformation under the carbon-neutral vision is the gradual replacement of high-carbon energy by zero-carbon and low-carbon energy. However, the large-scale deployment of clean energy technology in turn relies on key minerals such as copper, aluminum, zinc, and nickel. Based on this, this paper conducts research on the demand for key minerals in clean energy transition and the role of key minerals in clean energy transition. In particular, this paper calculated the demand for mineral supply for China’s carbon neutrality target, and the impact of some mineral resource constraints on the carbon neutrality path. Relevant results can provide a decision-making basis for the future development and utilization of key mineral resources, as well as the implementation of future carbon-neutral goals.

Microdistribution and Mode of Rare Earth Element Occurrence in the Zhijin Rare Earth Element-Bearing Phosphate Deposit, Guizhou, China

Rare-earth elements (REEs) are often highly concentrated in sedimentary phosphate deposits, and the microdistribution characteristics and occurrence state of rare earth in these deposits play a crucial role in the overall development and utilization of mineral resources. This study aims to analyze the microdistribution of REEs in REE-bearing phosphate deposits in the Zhijin region of Guizhou at the microstructural level and investigate their occurrence modes. Specifically, rock and mineral identification, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were utilized to analyze the samples. The correlation between the distribution of REEs and phosphorus was examined. In addition, the microdistribution of REEs in specific mineral phases and the locations of their occurrence were investigated. The analysis revealed that no REEs existed independently in the deposit. Instead, the distribution of REEs was highly consistent and significantly positively correlated with that of phosphorus. In the microarea structure, REEs were predominantly found both in particles, such as bioclasts, sand debris, and agglomerates, and in phosphate cement, where the main mineral components were collophane and apatite. Conversely, the content of REEs in dolomitized sand debris edges, sparry dolomitic cement, and siliceous cement was considerably lower. Based on these findings, it is speculated that REEs primarily occur within the lattice defects of apatite or on the surface of collophanite. There is a notable contrast in the REE content between the unaltered sand debris at the periphery and the dolomitized sand debris, indicating that the dolomitization in the diagenetic stage resulted in a depletion of REE abundance in the ore. Obviously, the dominant gangue mineral, dolomite, does not serve as the primary host for REEs. Furthermore, the highest concentration of REEs was inside organisms. This finding suggests that the high content of REEs in biological soft tissue may remain under the influence of waves and tides, and REE-bearing apatite may be preferentially separated and fill the cavities of deceased organisms. The second highest content of REEs was found in the shells of organisms, indicating that small shelly organisms absorb phosphorus materials through their life activities to construct their shells, resulting in REE enrichment. Quantitative analysis through sequential extraction procedures displayed that most REEs were present in the residual state, with a smaller portion combined with organic matter. These results confirm that REEs in the Zhijin phosphate deposits primarily exist as isomorphic substitutions in the lattice defects of apatite, with a secondary occurrence as organic matter-bound REEs.

Picking of weak signal in seismic exploration of non-coal solid mines based on phase-locked technology

The exploration and development of mineral resources are of crucial significance to national economy, people's livelihood and national security. Therefore, in order to extract the weak signal in seismic exploration of non-coal solid mines in shallow surface layer to achieve high-resolution exploration, the mathematical model and physical model of multiplier are established by referring to the frequency point acquisition technology in wireless radar communication, that is, phase-locked technology. The weak effective seismic signals of different frequency points are picked out from the collected 120 dB dynamic range spectrum, and the information of stratigraphic structure under high noise background is obtained more effectively by using mixing detection and two-phase demodulation technology in the harmonic component spectrum, thereby improving the high resolution and high precision of mineral exploration. The lock-in amplifier is added to the front stage of the seismograph to obtain the effective seismic wave reflected by the wave impedance interface required in the exploration task. Experimental results show that this method significantly improves the SNR and protects the weak effective signal from loss. It adds new technology and method to seismic signal acquisition and processing, and provides a new way to obtain high-quality seismic data in the field of mineral geophysical exploration, and will be widely used after being promoted in the fields of mineral exploration, geological disaster prediction, military geophysics, and archaeology.

Epichloë bromicola Enhances Elymus dahucirus Plant Growth and Antioxidant Capacity under Cadmium Stress

Elymus dahucirus is an essential plant for ecological restoration in fragile ecological areas and mining area restoration. As lawn grass, it can quickly cover soil and prevent soil erosion, so it is commonly used as a pioneer grass for lawn greening and slope protection. In recent years, with the development of mineral resources, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau soil is facing the threat of heavy metal cadmium (Cd) pollution. E. dahuricus can host the filamentous fungus Epichloë bromicola. To make better use of the advantages that Epichloë bring to host plants to alleviate heavy metal pollution in soil, plant growth and antioxidant capacity effects on E. bromicola infected (E+) and uninfected (E−) E. dahuricus were determined under Cd stress. During Cd treatment, plant growth was decreased by Cd stress, while E+ plants exhibited equal or better growth compared to E− plants. Cd treatment induces a proline and antioxidant enzyme burst in infected plants, while malondialdehyde (MDA) increases. E. bromicola improved plant growth and antioxidant capacity. E. dahuricus breeding strategies could use the information here in efforts to improve the performance of E. dahuricus in both environmental protection and agronomic contexts.

Environmental assessment of geomechanical behavior of lithosphere in sustainable development of mineral resources

Environmental assessment of geomechanical behavior of lithosphere in sustainable development of mineral resources

Mineralogical Characteristics and Genetic Types of Pyrite with Different Occurrence: Constraints from Spectroscopy, Geochemistry and δ34S Stable Isotopes

Pyrite is widely distributed in the Earth’s crust and oceanic systems, and it generally occurs as pentagonal dodecahedra, cubic, octahedral, idiomorphic crystals, or dense, massive, granular, and nodular aggregates. In this study, representative pyrite samples from Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui in China and from Peru were collected. By utilizing a range of analytical techniques, including petrography, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectrum, Raman spectrum, major and trace element analysis, as well as sulfur stable isotope analysis, we comprehensively depict the mineralogical and spectroscopic characteristics of pyrite, and the evolution processes of the physical and chemical conditions of mineralization can be qualitatively constrained. The spectroscopic results indicate all samples show a relatively narrow absorption band with weak to moderate intensity in the vicinity of 343 cm−1, which represents the bending vibration of the Fe-[S2]2− molecular bond. The Co content of pyrite exhibits the characteristics of a positive correlation with temperature and a negative correlation with oxygen fugacity, respectively. The δ34S isotopic compositions of colloidal pyrite are in the range of 0.03 to 0.67, which are close to meteoric sulfur and mantle sulfur compositions, while the δ34S values of nodular pyrite fall within the range of granite, indicating the characteristics of mixtures of sulfur sources are mainly related to magmatic activity. Our results provide insight into the formation mechanisms of pyrite in different environments, its mineralization, and the ore genesis of deposits. Moreover, the integrated analytical methods for pyrite are provided, which can define theoretical guidance for the exploration and development of mineral resources.

Sustain China's copper resources with domestic mining, trading, and recycling

Rapid urbanization and industrialization made China the world's largest refined copper producer and consumer. Insufficient copper ore reserves necessitated significant imports and scrap copper recycling. Using material flow and scenario analysis, this study examined historical copper supply and assessed future supply-demand balance. The results show that China's refined copper consumption soared from 2.3 Kt in 1949 to 14.43 Mt in 2020, with imports rising from 1.5 Kt to 11.77 Mt, resulting in a 75 % external dependence. In addition, primary copper importers were concentrated in the Americas. In 2020, China accumulated around 120 Mt of in-use stocks, enabling urban mineral resource development. Forecasted results indicate a persistent copper supply deficit. Recycling copper scrap is crucial to bridge the supply-demand gap. This study enhances understanding of copper's historical supply and consumption, providing policymakers with suggestions for sustainable copper resource management.

Development of mineral resources in the territories of indigenous minorities in the Arctic zone of Yakutia: ethnological expertise of projects

The Arctic is one of the world’s last vast undisturbed regions, and its role in the ecological balance of the Northern Hemisphere is enormous. It possesses rich mineral, raw material and fuel and energy resources; therefore, the development of the Arctic is becoming one of the key strategic priorities of the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation (RF). The study was conducted using historical-geographical, analytical, synthetic, and statistical methods. The purpose of the article is to identify constructive approaches to the relationship between indigenous communities and mining companies operating in the areas where these peoples live. The objectives are: 1. the characteristics of the main types of traditional environmental management of indigenous peoples; 2. the environmental and social consequences of the development of the mining industry on the livelihoods of indigenous peoples; 3. investment projects for the development of mineral deposits and ethnological examination. Conclusions: 1. Subsoil user companies conducting economic activities in territories of traditional natural resource management must provide economic and financial guarantees to protect the rights of indigenous minorities of the North. 2. The list of basic guarantees must be reflected in the Agreement on socio-economic cooperation between the municipality and the subsoil user company. 3. A common observation for the submitted EER projects was the insufficient full use of source material: data from tribal communities in the calculation of standard indicators for estimating gross farm income.

Перспективное освоение угольных запасов Арктики на основе пространственной организации коммуникаций

In the current conditions of economic instability, the problem of developing the regional space of the Arctic zone, where huge reserves of hydrocarbons and other minerals are concentrated, which are the main driver of the future development of the Arctic economy, is becoming increasingly important. The development of the Arctic region was strongly influenced by the international environment, which, on the one hand, poses a threat to the Arctic mineral projects, and on the other hand, opens up new opportunities for their successful implementation. Against this background, the task of the Arctic coal industry within the framework of spatial and regional development is the territorial and production optimization of production and transportation of coal products. The purpose of the study is to analyze current trends in the development of the coal mining market in the new geo-economic and political conditions, which results in the proposed approaches to the spatial organization of the transport communications system, allowing maximizing the economic and export potential of the prospective development of Arctic coal reserves. It has been established that the current situation greatly affects the energy market. Russian coal market is being transformed under the influence of geo-economic transformations, the formation of new coal mining centers is shifting eastwards closer to the Asia-Pacific region, which will become the main center of coal trade in the near future. The study concludes that the efficiency of the development of Arctic coal reserves directly depends on the spatial organization of a complex system of integrated production and transport corridors (IPTC) that combine the production and logistics chain of mining and transportation of coal products into a single holistically integrated space of sea, coastal and land communications. On the basis of the analysis of the Taimyr coal basin, a priority level for the prospective development of mineral resources has been determined, based on a combination of factors that condition the economic and export potential of coal deposits.

Problems complicating the introduction of technogenic deposits into economic circulation

Relevance. In modern conditions of depletion of the mineral resource base, deterioration of natural conditions of newly discovered deposits, the development of technogenic mineral resources gains primary importance. However, as the analysis shows, the level of use of solid mineral formations continues to remain insignificant. The purpose of the study is to identify the reasons that slow down the process of involving technogenic deposits into economic circulation, in order to prevent their occurrence or mitigate negative impacts. Research methods. In the research process, methods of comparative analysis, analogies, and expert analysis were used. Results. Analysis and generalization of domestic and foreign experience in the management of technogenic mineral formations (TMFs) allowed us to identify the main reasons hindering the expansion of the practice of developing technogenic deposits. Nine reasons were identified: imperfection of the regulatory framework for the management of TMFs, low degree of geological knowledge, high geological risk, lack of waste processing technologies, lack of necessary financial resources, imperfection of the economic mechanism used by the state in regulating waste management activities, the possibility of extending shelf life of TMFs, imperfect availability of information about TMFs, lack of qualified personnel. As a result of an expert survey of 20 specialists, the identified reasons were ranked and the highest priorities were identified. These included: the imperfection of the regulatory framework, the lack of environmentally friendly technologies required and the lack of an effective economic mechanism for state regulation of this activity. Conclusions. Identification of the primary reasons slowing down the process of development of technogenic deposits determines the further direction of work to prevent them or mitigate negative impacts.

Experimental investigation on identification of lithologies and layered rock interface based on drilling vibration response

The rapid and accurate acquisition of lithologies and rock interfaces is an important prerequisite for guiding the development of oil gas and solid mineral resources as well as the construction of tunnel engineering. However, few studies have been conducted to identify the lithologies and rock interfaces using drilling information. The author used a drilling test platform and an integrated drilling information acquisition system to conduct drilling vibration tests on rock samples of limestone, sandstone, and coal with different lithologies and rock strengths. The test results indicated the following: 1) The drilling vibration response can characterize the properties of the lithology and rock strength and can be used as a key index to distinguish the lithologies and rock layer interface. 2) There were substantial differences in the drilling response (WOB and torque) and vibration response (vibration velocity, acceleration, and amplitude) of the single rock sample. The mean axial vibration velocities of coal, limestone, and sandstone were 5.6, 7.3, and 13.9 mm/s, respectively. The mean axial vibration accelerations were 9.2g, 32.3g, and 13.1g, respectively. The mean amplitudes of the rock surface were 402.6, 588.3, and 2003.8 μm, respectively. The mean weight on the bit was 1.3, 2.6, and 3.5 kN,1 respectively, and the mean torque was 12.3, 25.1, and 33.6 N m, respectively. 3) For the combined rock samples, the drilling and vibration responses of the layered rock interface showed an evident surge. 4) The rock strength affected the drilling and vibration responses. The stronger the rock, the higher was the drilling response (WOB and torque), higher the vibration acceleration, and lower the vibration speed and amplitude. The drilling vibration response displayed a high sensitivity to rock strength. It could effectively characterize the strength characteristics of the rock to accurately identify the lithologies and layered rock interface.

A comprehensive evaluation of sustainable mineral resources governance in Pakistan: An analysis of challenges and reforms

Researchers and institutions continue to formulate governance mechanisms and guidelines for using mineral resources for socio-economic purposes. The movement of sustainable mineral resource development has received high attention recently. This research planned to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature and institutional guidelines to explore and create a code of international best mining guidelines (IBMC) focusing on sustainable mineral resources growth. The study also planned to explore and compare the mining and minerals governance mechanisms of Pakistan against IBMC. Moreover, this research also explores how the mineral resources governance mechanisms and best mining guidelines actually reflect at the local operational level in Pakistan. The research methods include conducting a systematic literature review of the existing literature and institutional guidelines to create IBMC exploring the mining and mineral sector governance mechanisms of Pakistan, including institutional, legal, policy, regulatory, and fiscal frameworks for comparing against IBMC; conducting interviews with key informants to explore how the current local mining practices reflect against the best mining guidelines. This research found that a stable political and economic environment and sound infrastructure facilities are the basic conditions for attracting investment in the mining and mineral industry. Using a systematic review, this research has created IBMC, which can be used as a standard for improving governance mechanisms, including the institutional, legal, policy, and fiscal frameworks focusing on sustainable mineral resource growth by developed nations. The findings explored various challenges as well that hinder sustainable mineral resource growth in Pakistan. Some of the challenges include lack of unilateral institutional and legal controls, technocratic policy formulation, dissuasive fiscal system, and taxations, lack of proper cadaster system, poor accountability and transparency, corruption and rent-seeking, illegal mining, environmental issues, health and safety issues of mine workers, inadequate training and development of mining workers, exclusion of local communities from decision-making processes. To address these challenges, this research advocates for reforming mineral governance mechanisms according to IBMC. The findings of the study may steer the mining industry toward responsible and sustainable growth in Pakistan and other mineral-rich developing nations.

Characteristics of miners’ working conditions in the surface mine of the mining and chemical complex in the Arctic region of the Russian Federation: cross-sectional (simultaneous) study

INTRODUCTION. The development of rich mineral resources in the Arctic region of the Russian Federation (ARRF) is a strategic direction for the further economic development of the country. The study of the working conditions to prevent the development of an occupational disease and to preserve the health of workers, employed in the ARRF economy, are fully aligned with national priorities of the state policy.
 OBJECTIVE. To assess miner’s working conditions in the surface mine, located in the Arctic region of the Russian Federation.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS. Working conditions of mining dump truck, bulldozer, drilling machine, excavator drivers and blasting teams in the ARRF surface mine were examined with the use of sanitary description method as well as physical and chemical ones.
 RESULTS. Natural and climatic conditions around mining sites are adverse with some extremeness. Miners’ working conditions сcorrespond to class 2 and 3 of 1-2 degree of harmfulness on physical and chemical factors. Maximum permissible levels are most exceeded on noise and vibration ones as well as on the content of nitric oxide and formaldehyde in the cabin of dump bulldozers, and least – in the workplace of drilling machine drivers.
 CONCLUSION. To improve miners’ working conditions and preserve their health, it is necessary to develop and implement a comprehensive program of measures, adapted to the Arctic conditions, aimed at preventing occupational diseases and providing for the solution of sanitary-technological and medical preventive issues.

Biodiversity study of the deep-sea ecosystems in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean

The aim of the work was to study some deep-sea bottom communities of the Far Eastern seas of Russia using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.Materials were the data of underwater video and photo profiling, as well as direct sampling, performed in 2011–2013, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.As results, an extensive array of new data on the composition, structure, and patterns of distribution of deep sea biota has been obtained. A primary description of the benthic communities of the Gamovsky Canyon (Sea of Japan), cold seeps of the Deryugin Basin (Sea of Okhotsk), and Piip underwater volcano (Bering Sea) has been prepared. Some features of the composition and structure of communities are revealed, and vertical zonality is described.Practical value: the results can be used in the development of environmental protection measures and measures of rational nature management in the waters of the Far Eastern seas of Russia and in areas of potential development of deep-sea mineral resources in the ocean.

Study on Impact of Mineral Resources Development in Africa

One of the continents with the greatest mineral wealth is Africa. The economies, militaries, and fields of science in African nations and around the world have all benefited greatly from these natural resources. As a result, the mining sector is one of the most significant ones in Africa, and it has a wide range of influences. This review will examine the growth of the mining business in Africa and its effects on the continent, explaining how the development of the mining industry has affected the continent's economy, vegetation, water supplies, and human health. Human disorders like pneumoconiosis can be brought on by the dust and toxic materials created during the mining operation. The mining industry has a significant impact on water resources. Heavy metal components pollute water supplies, causing damage to flora along a chain of events. This review also examines the effects of mining on vegetation covering in the section on how it affects vegetation using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). In terms of the economy, the mining sector is essential. The development of mineral resources is the primary source of income for the majority of African nations. In some ways, the mining sector has aided in the economic growth of African nations. The purpose of this essay is to investigate how resource extraction affects the ecosystem. Environmental governance is still in the developing phase on a global scale. It exhorts people to consider and save the environment. In order to promote sustainable development, the society should implement the relevant governance measures.