Sustainable mining: Mining the environmentally friendly way

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• April 4, 2022

Insight summary

Sustainable mining is reshaping the way natural resources are extracted, focusing on minimizing environmental harm and prioritizing community well-being. By employing methods like renewable energy sources, cleaner production techniques, and repurposing old mining sites, the industry is taking strides toward a more responsible future. The wider implications include more accessible renewable technologies, increased community engagement, and new job opportunities in environmental management.

Sustainable mining context

Over the past two centuries, the mining industry has often utilized environmentally harmful processes to extract non-renewable natural resources. Fortunately, advancing knowledge and technology, coupled with the public’s heightened environmental consciousness, has made it possible to sustainably mine the precious minerals needed to fuel the coming clean energy revolution. The mining industry is responsible for 2 to 3 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, sustainable mining can play a meaningful contribution to overcoming the worst effects of climate change and achieving 2050 carbon reduction goals. 

Mining emissions are categorized into three types. Scope 1 diesel-generated emissions often come from the use of heavy machinery. On average, up to 50 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from mining stem from burning diesel. Scope 2 are emissions produced when generating electricity. They account for up to 30 to 35 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Supply chain and transport make up the remaining emissions that are categorized as Scope 3. 

Sustainable mining is focused on responsibly extracting natural resources using methods that minimize negative impacts on the natural environment, according to the Equator Principles and International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Organization for Standards (ISO). The goal of sustainable mining is to reduce emissions, reduce waste, and introduce the use of newer technologies and sustainable mining practices. Sustainable mining entails that mining companies and the industry at large prioritize the well-being of local communities where these operations are carried out.

Disruptive impact

The mining industry should consider making operational changes to foster a more sustainable future. These changes may include selecting better quality mining sites by conducting cost-effective magnetic surveys. Economic efficiency can also be achieved if mining companies consider using renewable energy sources like solar or wind power to power their mining sites, battery-powered mining machinery, leveraging cleaner production techniques to reduce carbon output, and reusing by-products and mine waste. Overall, these changes are short-term attempts to lower the mining industry’s carbon emissions emitted.

A longer-term approach will require technology that is yet to be developed. For example, future mining sites may utilize a fully electric fleet of mining vehicles and equipment, thereby reducing fuel consumption and improving air quality. Incorporating smart trackers will further optimize the management of these fleets. Green hydrogen production and carbon capture, utilization, and storage can also be used to manufacture synthetic fuels that can power older equipment and vehicles that continue to use internal combustion engines.

Mine sites that have been closed can be reopened and reclaimed as part of the industry’s efforts to implement sustainable mining practices. Old mining sites could be reused and repurposed through novel biotechnologies that can reverse soil and water table contamination, and potentially reforest or rewild the mine back into natural habitats. 

Implications of sustainable mining

Wider implications of sustainable mining may include:

• More abundant access to the rare earth minerals and metals needed to economically manufacture renewable technologies like solar, wind, and batteries, leading to a decrease in the cost of these technologies and making them more accessible to consumers.


• The mining industry implementing more strategic approaches during the study and survey phase to gain public support and investor funding for future mines, leading to smoother project development and increased community engagement.


• Enacting legislation to deal with the environmental impacts of mining, both during the mining process and after the mines are closed, leading to better protection of ecosystems and a reduction in long-term environmental damage.


• The increased digitization and modernization of mining practices worldwide, leading to enhanced efficiency, safety, and transparency in the industry.


• A shift towards sustainable mining practices, leading to the creation of new job opportunities in the fields of environmental management, community relations, and renewable energy.


• The transition to sustainable mining practices, leading to potential job losses in traditional mining roles, as new skills and expertise may be required.


• The government establishing new laws to regulate sustainable mining, leading to potential conflicts with existing regulations and challenges in harmonizing global standards.


• The focus on extracting rare earth minerals for renewable technologies, leading to potential over-reliance on specific minerals and the risk of supply chain disruptions.


• The need for significant investment in new technologies and practices for sustainable mining, leading to potential financial burdens on smaller mining companies and possible consolidation within the industry.

Questions to consider

• What can the government do to help promote and regulate sustainable mining?


• What does the mining industry stand to gain by embracing sustainable mining?