Profitable Mining Research Articles

Byproduct-to-Host Ratios for Assessing the Accessibility of Mineral Resources.

Mineral resources are essential for reaching net-zero ambitions by 2050. There is a rising diversity of metals in electricity generation and storage technologies, as well as for mobility technologies. However, little is known about the future supply of minor elements historically mined in low volumes such as indium, tellurium, germanium, or tantalum. Those minor elements are found in lower concentrations in the ores of major elements and therefore rarely form economic deposits on their own. Such elements are often produced as byproducts of a host (or "target commodity", which underpins the bulk of a mine's profitability) in ore, e.g., in porphyry ore, tellurium is a byproduct where copper is the host. As a result, the primary supply of those minor elements depends on the supply of the major elements. Such dependency has not been accounted for in scenarios of the mineral supply. To address this gap, we developed a methodology to harmonize scattered data of mineral resource estimates and to calculate the mass ratio between the byproduct and the host in ores and concentrates, called the byproduct-to-host (BtH) ratio. We collected crude ore tonnage and element grades, among other key data, from the state-of-the-art literature and publicly available mining company reports. Our data set covers 3422 deposits across 141 countries providing 22 275 BtH ratios. The future supply of minor elements can be derived by multiplying the primary production of host elements by the developed BtH ratios, noting the limitations of data representativity. The open-access nature of this work facilitates the enrichment and update of this data set in the coming years.

A sovereign grant and a franchised state: Tin mineral supply chains in south Kivu of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

In resource extraction regions, nation-states tend to be depicted as the legal authority sanctioning profitable mining operations in close collaboration with corporate actors in their domestic territories. Especially in post-colonial contexts, corporate sovereignty is the term deployed by anthropologists to depict the acts of power by legally sanctioned corporate actors within a space of negotiation authorised by the state. A problem arises with this framing of sovereignty in contexts where the international norms of liberal democracy and development are violated due to constraints on the domestic authority of the state. In this scenario, the international order imposes itself to restore the authority of the state by governmentalising the security, territory, and market access of the state. Through ethnographic and field survey research in south Kivu of eastern Congo, I argue that the restoration and extension of state authority is a grant given to the state on condition of the responsible exercise of norms and practices of international markets. The tin, tantalum and tungsten (3T) mineral supply chain in south Kivu are an example of such a grant extended by international market actors and their related resource policy regimes to strengthen the state by franchising its apparatuses through practical mechanisms and discourse aimed at implementing traceability of so-called conflict minerals. Here, sovereignty is a position that is made by international market rule delivered through infrastructure in the form of 3T-mineral supply chains that franchise the state with the aim of optimising its fiscal reach and penetration among upstream mineral producers in south Kivu.

Investigation of the rock mass state in the near-wall part of the quarry and its stability management

Introduction: The research is aimed to identify the vulnerable areas of quarry slopes through the creation of a stress-strain state model for the rock mass at the Vostochny quarry, East Saryoba field of the Zhi-landy Group of cupriferous sandstones, as well as their subsequent strengthening.Methods: The research is based on the development of a database containing information on mining-geological, geophysical, geodetic and aerospace surveys. The authors of the research use modern geodetic, aerospace and geophysical technologies for scientifically based predicting of technogenic disasters and the rock mass stress-strain state modeling to ensure safe and optimal mining of fields in difficult mining-geological conditions.Results: The results obtained show that the strengthening of weakened quarry slopes based on the rock mass stress-strain state modeling contributes to the scientific-practical profitability of field mining and provides safe mining in difficult mining-geological conditions.Discussion: Novelty is in the scientific substantiation of the method for strengthening quarry slopes, which is based on the rock mass stress-strain state modeling. The research is of great practical importance, as the rock mass stress-strain state modeling increases the reliability of predicting the rock mass state during its mining. Strengthening of quarry slopes using the proposed method reduces risks and increases safety and economic efficiency of mining the solid mineral deposits in difficult mining-geological conditions.

Development of an Economic Cost Model for Gold and Associated Minerals Using Economic Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Approach

Limited accuracy due to complex geological processes, insufficient data granularity, and challenges in predicting market dynamics impact mineral forecast models. In order to develop a cost-based model for gold and related minerals in Birnin Gwari (Kaduna State) and Kagara (Niger State), this study is being carried out in Nigeria. The created concept aims to increase the profitability and economic viability of open-pit mines operated by craftsmen and mining investors. By maximizing mine life cycles and preventing the early closure of mining sites, this was intended to encourage the best recovery rates. This study used economic and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling methods to create a cost-based model for ten gold-associated minerals. The coefficient of correlation (R2), root mean square error (RSME), and variance accounting factor (VAF) were used to assess the created model's correctness. The model evaluator demonstrates that the proposed cost-based models are economically viable and the quantitative results are as presented in Equations (14-23). The cost-benefit connection between gold and the ten related minerals was also determined using a least-squares regression analysis. According to geochemical results, the average values of gold and related minerals in the study region range from 4.87 g/t of gold (Au), 1.501 g/t of copper (Cu), and 187.13 g/t of iron (Fe) in Birni Gwari to 2.29 g/t of gold (Au), 1.358 g/t of copper (Cu), and 173.75 g/t of iron (Fe) in Kagara. In Birnin Gwari, the equivalent financial estimations are N876,600 for Au, N60,040,000 for Cu, and N1,129,375 for Fe, and N5,780,000 for Au, N49,500 for Cu, and N363,060,000 for Fe in Kagara. The model's scope demonstrates that running a single mineral can result in low recovery rates and a loss of profit margin; thus, the model's application to all open pit mines is relevant as a reference for profit margin cash flow.

GEO-ECONOMIC EXPLORATION OF GOLD DEPOSITS IN UZBEKISTAN'S AKBA SITE

This article presents a comprehensive study of the Akba site in Uzbekistan, focusing on its geological structure, ore-containing rocks, and the economic feasibility of gold mining operations. Through a multidisciplinary approach combining geological surveys, sample analysis, and economic evaluations, we have identified significant gold reserves accessible for extraction. Our findings reveal the potential for profitable mining, supported by detailed geological mapping and financial projections under current market conditions. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating geological data with economic analyses to optimize mining strategies, considering both profitability and environmental sustainability. Recommendations for future research include advancing exploration techniques and expanding economic evaluations to ensure the sustainable development of Uzbekistan's gold mining industry.

Gender, livelihoods and local development in artisanal and small-scale mining areas: Evidence from gemstone production in Zambia and Tanzania

This article uses data collected from male and female miners and gemstone traders in an amethyst production zone in Zambia and tanzanite production zone in Tanzania to explore the gendered dynamics of investment of artisanal and small-scale mining profits in local communities. We investigated payment arrangements at mining sites and variations between how men and women are paid; and asked how men and women use proceeds from mining. These research themes allow us to identify mining and non-mining investments made by miners and develop an assessment of the broader, rather than narrow, impacts of ASM on economic livelihood alternatives in the community.

Examining several factors that influence corporate social responsibility disclosure

This study aims to analyze the impact of Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure in mining companies listed on the Stock Exchange. Specifically, it aims to determine whether these factors significantly influence CSR disclosure. This study utilizes secondary data from the financial statements of mining companies listed on the IDX. Multiple linear regression analysis assesses the relationship between Company Size, Profitability, Foreign Ownership, and CSR Disclosure. The analysis aims to establish these factors' individual and combined effects on CSR disclosure in the mining industry. This study's findings indicate that the company's size positively influences CSR disclosure. Larger companies tend to exhibit higher levels of CSR disclosure. Additionally, profitability positively and significantly impacts CSR disclosure, suggesting that more profitable mining companies tend to disclose more about their social responsibility initiatives. The results also demonstrate that the ownership of foreign shares owned by the company positively influences CSR disclosure. As the ownership of foreign shares increases, the level of CSR disclosure also increases. Furthermore, the study concludes that when considering Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership, they collectively positively and significantly affect corporate social responsibility. This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of Company Size, Profitability, and Foreign Ownership on CSR Disclosure, specifically in the mining sector. The findings provide insights into the factors that affect the extent of CSR disclosure, which can help mining companies and stakeholders enhance their understanding and awareness of social responsibility practices within the industry.

Greedy-Mine: A Profitable Mining Attack Strategy in Bitcoin-NG

Greedy-Mine: A Profitable Mining Attack Strategy in Bitcoin-NG

Mechanisation, wages, and royalties: Unpacking coal lock-in through 120 years of parliamentary debates in the world's largest exporter

Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal by value, and only recently lost out on volume to neighbouring Indonesia. This paper examines 120 years of parliamentary debates to better understand how Australia attained this position and the lessons this has for a carbon constrained future. The paper adopts a socio-technical transitions perspective, drawing on parliamentary records, historical literature and socio-economic statistics. This comprehensive large-scale analysis uses established dynamic topic modelling methods, and contributes novel tools and methods to aid the quality, interpretation and reproduction of the presented results. Results show that after supply and workers' rights problems, a mid-century compromise was reached between the main political parties (and industrial actors). This compromise relied on increasing the efficiency and hence profitability of mines. Profits would be shared with workers to remove industrial disputes. This initiative set off a path-dependent trajectory of growth that forestalled competition from lower-wage producers like Indonesia and hampered reactions as climate change came to the fore. Attention to coal in the Australian federal parliament is now at even higher levels than in the 1950s. However, while a similar compromise appears necessary, it does not seem forthcoming.

The Effect of Green Accounting Disclosure on the Firm Value of Listed Mining and Agriculture Companies in Southeast Asia Countries

The purpose of the study is to seek how Green Accounting Disclosure (GAD) affects firm value using GDA Coverage Percentage quantified by NVIVO Software in Mining and Agriculture Companies in Southeast Asia. The five-year observation period for this study taken from 2017 to 2021. This research uses control variables, such as profitability, sales growth, leverage and size of mining and agriculture company in Southeast Asia. The data used were secondary data obtained from Capital IQ SnP and annual reports and/or sustainability reports posted on the company websites. Data regression with a fixed effect model approach was used for data analysis. The findings indicate that Green Accounting Disclosure, as reflected by coverage percentage in compliance with GRI standard, has insignificant on firm value in Mining and Agriculture Companies. Leverage is the only variable that matters on GAD. Even though GAD performed by this study is more rigid than binary variable, The keywords need to be developed to quantify what it takes in determining GAD variable. Though green accounting disclosure is not associated with the firm value, the author’s additional analysis found that there are only a few companies in Southeast Asia that disclose green accounting in their report. Since the disclosure of green accounting is voluntarily and companies are still hesitant to voluntarily disclose green accounting in their reports.

Simulating the Impact of Ore and Water Quality on Flotation Recovery during the Life of a Mine

Blending of different ore types in the concentrator feed contributes significantly to maintaining a high recovery of valuable minerals with required grades in the concentrate. It is feasible to develop an ore-blending scheme over the life of a mine already in the design phase of the plant. In addition to ore characteristics, water quality is known to impact mineral recovery. A blending plan could also be developed for the different water streams of a future concentrator. This paper describes a novel modeling and simulation approach to predict metallurgical response combining ore types and water quality. The model is based on kinetic laboratory flotation test data, and it was tested on a case study. As a result, rougher flotation grade-recovery curves dependent on ore types and water quality are presented over the predicted life of the mine. The simulation results can be exploited in project design to maximize the recovery of valuable minerals and to ensure environmentally sound and profitable mining operations. Overall, the developed modeling tool can be applied widely for minerals processed by using froth flotation and water types available for kinetic laboratory flotation tests.

Selection and Evaluation of Economic and Emission Reduction Benefit of a Mine Electrification System for Transportation in Deep Opencut Copper Mines

The Paris Agreement's global decarbonization drive has heightened the need for sustainable energy options, shifting focus away from fossil fuels. Copper, a crucial metal in this transition, will face increased demand, necessitating deeper opencut mines. However, this poses issues as traditional fuel-intensive trucks used for mine haulage result in substantial Scope 1 emissions and rising operational costs. This study addresses the urgency to explore alternative mine haulage systems that minimize fuel consumption and associated emissions while maintaining economic viability. It evaluates potential systems at "The Copper Pit," a Latin American copper mine, based on capital cost, operating cost, flexibility, safety, technological readiness, and emission abatement potential. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Method, weightage values for each criterion are calculated, resulting in a prioritized ranking table. Trolley Assist truck haulage emerges as the most promising alternative, showcasing impressive savings of up to 87% in fuel consumption and associated emissions, and an 80% reduction in running costs. Economic advantages are affected by diesel and power prices, with the carbon tax having the smallest impact. The study recommends a feasibility study for Trolley Assist implementation in the Copper Pit and a staged approach to minimize risks. Despite being less flexible and requiring upfront capital, Trolley Assist holds promise for deep copper mines, significantly reducing emissions and operating costs, ensuring sustainable and profitable mining operations.

The Optimal Distribution of Production and Investments by Operating Units in Mining Enterprises

This paper intends to present different models for determining the profitability of mining enterprises related to efficient mining investment process. After presenting a large literature review of the beginnings related to this issue, the article deals with models related to the optimal distribution of production and investments by operating units, in order to maximize the company's profits.

Foundation of a framework for evaluating the impact of mining technological innovation on a company's market value

Technological innovation development plays a pivotal role in mineral economics. History shows that the difference between a mineral deposit's economic status and its uneconomic status lies in the mining technological innovation most prevalent in each phase of technological development. The significance of mining technology is that it curbs the negative impact of mineral deposit depletion by improving productivity, thereby keeping mineral exploitation profitable. This relationship makes it imperative to develop a framework that utilises this concept to sustain mining in the future. The framework will incorporate the benefits of technological innovation implementation to demonstrate its impact on a company's share price. It will help public investors understand share price performance while serving as an additional internal new technology investment approval tool.This paper demonstrates how applying technological development and innovation affects mining processes and its economics. This relationship is evident throughout the four historical mining technological stages, which started in the 18th Century with mechanisation, then remote control, automation, and currently, autonomous technology systems. At each stage, the need for a more productive technology arose as the effects of mineral resources depletion threatened mining's profitability. Thus, it can be judged that the future of mining profitability lies in the current advanced technologies that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Nonetheless, while mineral commodity miners profit and firm market values grow, the growth is not empirically linked to the technological innovation development that drives it. Conversely, in other industries, the firm's technological development innovation resultant economic metrics, along with macroeconomic factors, are captured and empirically linked to stock market value. This exposes a gap in the financial impact evaluation of mining technology innovation implementation. Therefore, this paper explores the possibility of developing that framework for the mining industry by identifying improved productivity and cost metrics, profit margin growth, and the resultant share price performance.

Assessment of Bitcoin carbon footprint

Bitcoin is a breakthrough financial technology but a volatile asset in financial markets with a complex fundamental consensus algorithm (Proof-of-Work) limiting its large-scale adoption due to environmental-related issues. Hitherto, the role of its technical and infrastructural composition that drives carbon footprint from an ecological perspective is rarely discussed in the literature. Here, we use machine learning and econometric techniques to analyze the past, present, and future changes in Bitcoin's carbon footprint with daily data spanning July 18, 2010 to December 04, 2021. We document technical drivers, decomposition effects, causal nexus, and implications of the Bitcoin blockchain's increasing energy and carbon footprint. We show that Bitcoin's technical drivers could have potential impacts on Bitcoin's carbon footprint, and subsequently, global climate change. For example, the network's hashrate increases mining difficulty––thereby increasing Bitcoin's energy consumption and subsequently, carbon footprint. We observed a direct association between the marginal effect of block size and transaction count––implying that a higher block size improves transaction efficiency and then reduces Bitcoin's energy and carbon footprint. Besides, low mining difficulty increases market capitalization whereas increasing mining difficulty reduces bitcoin mining profit in the long run. This infers the reward for mining Bitcoin has a diminishing return in the long term. Thus, the adoption of advanced hardware for Bitcoin mining will spur energy and carbon intensity, yet will have a low return on investment. We highlight environmental regulations and regulatory changes that could limit Bitcoin's carbon footprint.

Exploring exploration—how to look for deep-sea minerals

AbstractIn the spring of 2023, the subsea industry in Norway is gearing up for an opening of the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) for deep-sea mineral exploration and extraction. Existing research indicates that the profitability of deep-sea mining with today's technology heavily depends on high ore grades. This study explores the potential for emerging techno-operational concepts for exploration to affect the profitability of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) industry on the NCS. By way of computer simulation, the study analyzes technologies currently or soon poised to enter the subsea market concerning their advantage or disadvantage for the SMS industry on the NCS. The study indicates a significant advantage in developing geophysical sampling technology for assessing mineral resources and some advantage in developing unmanned surface vessels for regional surveys. It further indicates that developing fleet-operated autonomous underwater vehicle concepts for high-resolution surveys is not only moot but possibly counterproductive. The study thereby contributes techno-operational insight for a budding industry currently looking for technology to improve commercial prospects.

Machines in the Hands of Capitalists: Power and Profit in Late Eighteenth-Century Cornish Copper Mines

Abstract In the inaugural issue of Past and Present, Eric Hobsbawm cautioned historians against the assumption that a capitalist economy has an inherent tendency to cost-saving and technological innovation, emphasizing that ‘It has a bias only towards profit’. Inspired by Hobsbawm, this article shows how a history of profit can elucidate the economic and social history of machines. Beginning with miners’ protests at the stoppage of Boulton & Watt steam engines in Cornish copper mines in the late 1780s, it shows that these engines’ implications for the people who invested in, and worked, the mines were conditioned by a complex relationship between profit and power: mechanical power, which was crucial to the mining of copper and the costs of its production; imperial power, given fluctuating demand for copper from different parts of the British empire; and market power, since control over price setting on the British copper market was crucial for Cornish mining profits. Understanding what determined mines’ profits helps to account for capitalists’ decisions to stop their engines as well as copper miners’ protests at their actions. More generally, it suggests the potential of studying the economic and social history of new machines through the lens of profit.

Analyzing the Solo Mining Profitability of Zcash Cryptocurrency in the United States of America

Zcash is a proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrency that has gained attention due to its promise of enhanced user privacy. Notwithstanding, Zcash’s thorough acceptance notably depends on how profitable its mining process can be. To tackle this issue, we propose an analytical model to compute the mining hashrate under solo mining to achieve a liquid revenue equal to the minimum wage in the United States. In the sequence, we then estimate how profitable Zcash solo mining is based on that computed mining hasrate. Our proposed model spans crucial parameters of the whole mining process. In the experiments, we compare Zcash with the popular Bitcoin and also present a competitive analysis encompassing the ten top cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Final results highlight that: (i) Zcash owns a value of hmin which is about eight orders of magnitude smaller than that of Bitcoin in all investigated scenarios, which refer to the ten least and most expensive american states in terms of electricity tariff; and (ii) Zcash is the second best cryptocurrency for solo mining among the aforementioned ten cryptocurrencies, being the only one whose protocol implements the concept of zero-knowledge proofs. Within this context, our key contribution is to provide the scientific literature with valuable insights to formally pave the way to develop practical analytical models for PoW-cryptocurrency systems, which may be chiefly valuable regarding competitive analyses in general.

Comparative Analysis of Economic and Profitability of Artisanal Gold Mining in Part of Niger and Osun States, Nigeria

Comparative analysis of economic and profitability of artisanal gold mining in part of Niger and Osun states was carried out to assess the cost of production, assess the production rate of alluvial and elluvial gold deposits in the study areas, determine the concentrates of alluvial and elluvial gold deposits in the study areas, compare the concentrates of alluvial and elluvial gold deposits in the study areas and determine the level of profitability in the study areas. The concentration of alluvial gold deposits was carried out using FAS – 121 Au Fire Assay, 50 g Fusion, AAS Trace Level analytical method while that of the elluvial gold deposits was carried out using FAS – 425 Au Fire Assay, 50 g Fusion, Gravimetric analytical method. The cost of production for alluvial gold deposits in Osun state were computed to be N30,000.00, N38,000.00 and N27,000.00 at Isereyun, Samuaye and Okere Oloja Villages respectively while that of elluvial gold deposits in Niger state were computed to be N125,000.00, N98,000.00 and N95,000 at Tutugo, Paiko and Bosso Villages respectively. The comparison of gold concentration in the two states shows that the elluvial gold deposits in Niger state has higher concentrates than the alluvial gold deposits in Osun state which could be due to the fact that elluvial deposits are mostly host rock for gold deposits. The level of profitability in alluvial gold deposits in Osun state ranges from 300% and 400% after the cost of production while that of elluvial gold deposits in Niger state ranges 300%, 400% and 500% after the cost of production. With the level of profitability of the alluvial and elluvial deposits, it can be observed that the profitability for all locations were close but there were differences in the cost of production.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ДЕТЕРМІНАНТ ВПЛИВУ НА МЕХАНІЗМ ФУНКЦІОНУВАННЯ КРИПТОВАЛЮТ В УМОВАХ СВІТОВОЇ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ НЕВИЗНАЧЕНОСТІ

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the determinants affecting the mechanism of functioning of cryptocurrencies in the context of global economic uncertainty. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the history, essence and mechanism of functioning of cryptoassets, and also examines the principle of Blockchain technology and the process of cryptocurrency mining. It is found that the profitability of mining is assessed taking into account such factors as electricity costs, hardware requirements and remuneration for mining, which provides valuable information about the economic feasibility of this activity. The authors analyze the main cryptocurrencies and their capitalization, and identify the main trends in the crypto markets. Based on the foundation of understanding the basic mechanics of cryptocurrencies, the study identifies and examines the key determinants that affect their functioning. Thus, internal and external factors of influence on cryptocurrencies were identified. The former include supply and demand, while the latter include economic, macrofinancial, political, technological, and social factors. The analysis of these factors revealed a complex network of influences that shape the cryptocurrency market, emphasizing the interaction between global economic uncertainty and the behavior of digital assets. It was found that while traditional assets can lose their stability in times of global instability, interest in the digital currencies under study is growing rapidly, and the introduction of new technologies allows to eliminate the existing weaknesses of cryptocurrencies. To ensure an exhaustive determination of the determinants of action, the chronology of events and news that affected the cryptocurrency market from 2018 to 2023 was studied. This visual representation made it possible to identify key changes in the development vector, including: the actions of the US Federal Reserve System, the war in Ukraine (which provoked a number of crises) and stricter regulation of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general. Conclusions are drawn about the need to expand the analysis of the impact of the regulatory framework on the cryptocurrency market and to develop a comprehensive methodology for assessing the factors that affect cryptocurrencies. Keywords: cryptocurrencies, global economic uncertainty, determinants, factors, Bitcoin, Blockchain.