Juan María Menendez Aguado

This study analyses the impact of mining activities on water scarcity in two contrasting mining regions: Zaragoza, Colombia, and Qabatiya, Palestine. Despite significant climatic and hydrological differences, both regions face substantial pressures on water resources and governance systems caused by mining. To assess these pressures on water security, the Water Poverty Index (WPI) has gained the attention as a holistic tool; however, its application in regions dominated by informal extractive economies presents a critical scientific gap; standard WPI methodologies rely heavily on low-resolution, macro-level secondary data, which inherently smooths out localized socio-environmental crises and creates a “compensation bias” in which temporary economic inflows mask severe ecological degradation. Furthermore, conventional frameworks fail to capture the dynamics of informal hydro-social governance, territorial conflicts, and non-conventional pollutants that characterize data-scarce extraction zones. To address this gap, this study applied four versions of the Water Poverty Index (WPI), Conventional, classic-inclusive, geometric, and arithmetic, to evaluate longitudinal changes between 2010 and 2025 under counterfactual baselines versus active extraction scenarios. The framework assessed six components: Resources, Access, Capacity, Use, Environment, and Cohesion, integrating both quantitative indicators and qualitative evidence. Results revealed that mining consistently reduced WPI performance in both localities, particularly within the Environment, Use, and Cohesion dimensions. Zaragoza exhibited a generalized decline across all WPI versions due to mercury contamination, institutional fragility, and social fragmentation associated with informal alluvial gold mining. At the same time, Qabatiya saw moderate infrastructure improvements, offset by groundwater depletion and environmental degradation from stone quarrying. The iWPI versions demonstrated superior sensitivity in capturing governance and socio-environmental degradation. The study concludes that water poverty in mining regions is multidimensional and driven by interconnected environmental, institutional, economic, and social pressures (as measured by the WPI), rather than by physical water scarcity alone.

The iron ore deposits of Gara Djebilet, located in the Tindouf region of Algeria, hold significant socio-economic importance among the indigenous iron ore deposits discovered in the country. To meet local steel production requirements, these ores require an effective enrichment process, necessitating detailed mineralogical, chemical, and morphological characterization. Techniques such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetric analysis (DSC-TG) were employed for this purpose.Mineralogical studies revealed that Gara Djebilet iron ore is primarily composed of hematite and goethite. XRF analysis indicated a composition of 61.95% Fe, 4.27% SiO₂, 2.22% CaO, 4.72% Al₂O₃, and 1.53% P₂O₅. The data from various analyses suggest that phosphorus is finely disseminated within the hematite phase, indicating that Gara Djebilet iron ore may not be amenable to upgrading using conventional techniques.

The strategic landscape governing extractive industries has undergone a profound transformation in the brief interval since the inaugural edition of this Special Issue in 2024

The foundational element of any ventilation system assessment is the precise definition of the primary airflow intake. In underground mine networks, even a marginal error in primary inputs triggers a series of inaccuracies, resulting in significant volumetric errors across the entire network. This study explores the sensitivity of the iterative Hardy Cross algorithm for ventilation network analysis towards the main intake, and demonstrates that the intake overestimation error reaches 77%, creating a false sense of security. Furthermore, when utilizing the Hardy Cross approach, evaluating a model based solely on its mathematical tendency to balance is misleading; analysis of relative error evolution demonstrates that a converged network can achieve mathematical balance while remaining fundamentally uncoupled from the mine’s physical reality due to flawed input data. While technical fields currently diverge into two primary paths for airflow definition, overly simplistic approximations or specialist-dependent numerical CFD models, this study proposes a middle ground alternative. The proposed methodology relies on direct anemometric field measurements synthesized through cartographic mapping integration techniques. The suggested technique offers a detailed graphical representation of air velocity across the excavation, derived from the isovel mapping. This visualization illustrates that airflow behaviour through rock excavations is fundamentally non-uniform and dictated by wall roughness and structural irregularities.

This study examines the longitudinal relationship and interactions among comprehensive water management, human development, and fragility. The seventeen Middle Eastern countries were examined for the period from 1996 to 2023. The Human Development Index (HDI) and Fragile States Index (FSI) were considered as a proxy for human development and fragility. In addition, the Water Poverty Index (WPI) was thoroughly assessed using classical and improved methods to measure multidisciplinary water management. Findings highlight that “Resources” and “Environment” are the most critical components of WPI. Iran performed the most consistently across WPI versions, whereas Palestine performed the worst. “Capacity,” “Environment,” and “Access” are the most influential components of HDI. FSI was found to be the most sensitive to “Capacity” and “Environment”, which contribute to both human development and stability. This study provides empirical evidence to inform SDG 6 implementation by demonstrating the linkage between WPI components and progress in human development.

This research aims to define an operational plan for the sustainability of small-scale artisanal gold mining (ASGM) in Northeast Antioquia, Colombia. A qualitative approach with a descriptive scope was used, for which a documentary or bibliographical review technique was made. Accordingly, articles, theses, books and institutional documents were reviewed as any contribution to the research topic. Likewise, this documentation contributed to defining aspects for elaborating the operational plan. Based on the reviewed sources, the need was found to propose an operational plan for this area to contribute to sustainability. Based on the sustainability analysis of ASGM in the zone, three common factors could be identified within the various positions proposed: the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural dimensions. With these, different needs were recognised in the area of study that still need action. An operational plan was devised to address these challenges and support the sector’s long-term sustainability.

Determining the Bond grindability test in a ball mill is one of the most commonly used methods in the mining industry for measuring the hardness of ores. The test is an essential part of the Bond work index methodology for designing and calculating the efficiency of mineral grinding circuits. The Bond ball mill grindability test has several restrictions, including the sample’s initial particle size distribution (PSD). This paper presents a method for calculating the Bond work index when the Bond ball mill grindability test is performed on samples with non-standard PSD. The presented equation includes a correction factor (k) and is applicable only for P₁₀₀ = 75 μm. The defined method is then compared with methods proposed by other researchers, and conclusions are drawn as to which method results in less deviation. The presented model resulted in a mean square error of 0.66%.

Zinc processing tailings (ZPTs) of the Kharzet Youcef processing complex, Setif, Algeria, are mainly stockpiled in tailing dumps without use, occupying significant surfaces and negatively influencing the human environment and health. Incorporating ZPTs into building materials manufacturing is an effective solution to meet the dual objectives of environmental protection and economic development. This study investigates the influence of firing temperature and integrating ZPTs as a partial replacement for clay on the physic-mechanical properties of fired clay bricks (FCBs). Microstructural, chemical, and mineralogical analyses of ZPTs and clay were carried out by SEM-EDS, XRF, and XRD, respectively. Seven mixtures were produced with various percentages of ZPTs added to clay (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%) and were fired at two different temperatures (900 and 1000 °C) at a ramp rate of 5 °C. Physic-mechanical tests were carried out on different brick specimens, and the results obtained showed that the FCBs incorporated with 10% of ZPTs produced the highest flexural strength of 6.24 MPa, compressive resistance of 29.78 MPa, bulk density of 1.37 g/cm³, and water absorption of 15.1% at 900 °C. Therefore, the recycling of ZPTs for FCBs manufacturing is feasible and an effective alternative waste disposal solution for sustainable development while reducing negative environmental impacts.