Factors and Objectives of Sustainable Development at the Implementation of Digital Technologies and Automated Systems in the Mining Industry

¹ NUST MISIS, College of Mining, 119991, Leninsky av., Moscow, Russia
² Curtin University, Sustainability Policy Institute, 6102 Kent St, Bentley WA, Australia

Abstract

Mining inevitably violates the natural environment. The consequences of its functioning for the environment are diverse at different stages of the life of the enterprise. During mineral exploration, environmental damage is generally negligible, localized, and can be relatively easily repaired. Subsequent initial work, both with open pit and underground mining methods, has a more significant impact on the environment, but still less significant than with the development itself. During extraction and enrichment, the main production process, the most noticeable consequences are violation of land resources, pollution by wastewater, changes in hydraulic regime and composition of atmospheric air. The key factor, of course, is not how much land is used for any particular activity, but whether this use can be compatible with maintaining environmental integrity.