International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment

Digital and Smart Mining Technologies for Sustainable Operations

Message from the Guest Editors:

The mining industry is undergoing a significant transition from traditional practices towards more efficient, innovative, digital, and smart operations to maintain global competitiveness. This shift is being driven by growing demand for lower-impact mining practices, particularly for strategic minerals critical for net-zero technologies, such as batteries for electric vehicles, solar photovoltaics, and hydrogen electrolysers.

Emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, machine learning, big data analytics, autonomous systems, and digital twins are at the forefront of this transformation. These innovations offer new pathways to lift productivity, safety, and operational decision-making, reliability, while reducing energy use and environmental footprints across the mining value chain.

The International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment is pleased to announce a Special Issue focused on the latest advancements in smart, secure, data-driven mining systems. We invite contributions that showcase not only the current progress in digital geoscience and process optimisation but also push the boundaries of how digital technologies can enable integrated, efficient and sustainable mining operations.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders to share breakthroughs shaping the future of connected, autonomous, and sustainable mining systems.

Topics of Interest:

1.       Intelligent mining and autonomous vehicle technologies

2.       Advanced robotics and automation for zero-entry mining

3.       AI-driven decision-making support and optimisation

4.       IoT applications for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and safety improvement

5.       Integration of digital twins in mine planning and operational optimisation

6.       Machine learning approaches for predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and process optimisation

7.       Smart sensing and multi-nodal data fusion

8.       Private mobile (5G/6G) or wireless, industrial connectivity and edge computing in mining

9.       Cybersecurity and resilience for mining as critical infrastructure

10.    Digital solutions for sustainable management of mine waste and tailings

11.    Physical AI and robotics empowered smart mining

12.  Simulation and immersive technologies including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR)