Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive literature review and a conceptual framework for integrating environmental sustainability into strategic mine planning, focusing on open pits. Despite growing interest, easily discernible sustainability metrics remain elusive in early mine-planning stages, and are included as a post-processing step, if at all, rather than integrated a priori into a mine plan via, e.g., optimization. Through a literature review, we identify efforts regarding how environmental dimensions, such as emissions, water use, and land rehabilitation, are addressed across mine planning phases. We propose the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Framework for Mine Planning, which: (i) embeds sustainability into decision logic using mixed-integer linear programming, stochastic optimization, and life cycle assessment; and, (ii) emphasizes dynamic feedback, stakeholder accountability, and circular resource use. This review offers a structured synthesis and establishes a modular framework to support future data-driven approaches to sustainability-focused mine planning.
Recommended Citation
R. Kudzawu-D'Pherdd et al., "A Literature Review and Conceptual Framework for Sustainability in Open-pit Mine Planning," Mining Metallurgy and Exploration, Springer, Jan 2026.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-025-01437-4
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Environmental stewardship; Environmental sustainability; Life cycle assessment; Strategic mine planning
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2524-3470; 2524-3462
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 Springer, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2026
Comments
Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, Grant ACE210010