Giovanni Franco-Sepúlveda

This paper proposes a phase-based evaluation workflow for strategic mine planning in which environmental and closure costs associated with each project phase are quantified after a base-case block sequencing and then compared with the economic performance of the resulting pushbacks through an integrated indicator. The method is therefore applied ex post to a fixed mine schedule and is intended as a diagnostic and decision-support tool for identifying and comparing critical phases from an economic-environmental perspective. The method was applied to a hypothetical sedimentary uranium deposit, chosen as a first case study because it allows consistent phase-by-phase comparison of environmental disturbance, closure obligations, and economic value under an annual pushback framework. In a second stage, the same methodological structure was applied to a hypothetical porphyry copper–molybdenum deposit as a complementary case to test the transferability of the approach under different geometric and economic conditions. The entire process was structured in five main steps: construction of the block model and project database; block sequencing; estimation of environmental and closure costs per phase; discounting of these costs; and calculation and interpretation of the Sustainability Index.

Sustainable Mining Districts (SMDs) have recently emerged as a territorial governance approach for promoting sustainable mining; however, no integrated conceptual framework currently exists to support their strategic planning. This study develops the first multidimensional conceptual framework for SMDs by integrating evidence from the scientific literature, institutional analysis, and territorial characterization, using Colombia as an illustrative case. The results reveal a growing international research emphasis on sustainability, governance, and territorial planning in mining, together with an emerging institutional transition toward district-scale governance. These findings support the identification of eleven complementary planning dimensions—geological, mining, transformation, environmental, social, market, economic, financial, infrastructure, legal, and governance—that collectively characterize SMDs as integrated territorial systems rather than solely geological or administrative units. The proposed framework provides a structured conceptual basis for organizing multidisciplinary information and supporting strategic territorial planning through an illustrative set of key performance indicators (KPIs). Although conceived as a proof of concept requiring future empirical validation, the framework offers a foundation for evidence-informed planning and governance of mining territories in Colombia and other mineral-producing regions.

This study explores the evolution of mine planning, with particular emphasis on the integration of environmental and social factors in alignment with the sustainable development. Traditionally, mine planning emphasized technical and economic variables, often overlooking environmental and social impacts. However, the increasing need to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has prompted a shift toward broader definitions that incorporate these factors into resource planning. This paradigm change is crucial for managing risks related to project profitability, which now include environmental considerations. The article also examines how government policies and corporate strategies, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks have evolved to address these impacts. A review of the literature published over the last 25 years identifies four main thematic areas: (1) inclusion of environmental costs in mine planning, (2) quantitative models for calculating environmental and closure costs, (3) legal frameworks in mining, and (4) innovations in public policies. This study underscores the need for a comprehensive approach in mine planning that balances economic, social, and environmental considerations to ensure sustainability and mitigate risks associated with mine closure and environmental remediation.

In mine planning, uncertainty assessment is essential to properly value a mining project. Geological, operational, and economical risks have to be considered to find the variable values that maximize the profit of the project. In this research, geological uncertainties are taken into account to assess the economic value of an underground gold mine. The scenarios considered are the tonnage-grade curves which are simulated by the Monte Carlo method. The decision variables are the cutoff grade (CoG), the Life of Mine (LoM), and operational variables, namely the mining and the processing capacity. In order to assess the economic value, we maximize the Net Present Value (NPV), which is carried out by a Genetic Algorithm (GA). This optimization, so-called implicit optimization, generates results of the probabilistic model which are compared with the deterministic one; the results found for a real underground gold mine show that, in the probabilistic case, the Net Present Value is higher and the time horizon is shorter than the results of the deterministic case, and the mining and the processing capacity are higher for the probabilistic case than the deterministic one.

The mining activity developed in California, Santander municipality, has been mainly subsistence or small-scale, rooted in its ancestral heritage. According to the current regulations in the country, conducting mining activities requires obtaining a concession contract, a mining title, and the necessary licenses, such as the environmental license. The last one has caused setbacks in the mineral extraction process due to outgoing regulations, such as the delimitation of the Santurbán moorland and the prohibition of mercury use. This document aims to analyze the current state of certain mining operations in the area, provide recommendations, and establish a technical baseline for the addressed titles for future work. La actividad minera que se realiza en el municipio de California, Santander, ha sido en mayor medida de subsistencia o a pequeña escala, partiendo de la ancestralidad de la misma. Con la normativa presente en el país, para llevar a cabo la actividad minera, es necesario contar con la obtención de un contrato de concesión, título minero y con ello, los debidos licenciamientos, como lo es la licencia ambiental. Esta última, ha generado contratiempos en el desarrollo de la extracción mineral debido a las normas salientes como la delimitación del páramo de Santurbán y la prohibición del uso del mercurio. El presente documento plantea analizar el estado en el que se encuentran algunas operaciones mineras de la zona, realizar recomendaciones y dejar una línea base técnica de los títulos abordados para futuros trabajos.

To transition to carbon neutrality by the year 2050, copper, lithium, rare earths, cobalt, nickel, and silver are essential due to their use in the manufacture of electric cars, lithium batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, motors, and electrical wiring. The main goal of this study is to carry out a mining approach of the prospective areas of Colombia with strategic minerals for energy transition and climate change, analyzing the geospatial location, mining rights, mineral extraction, and royalty collection. Open data from SGC, ANM, and SIMCO geoportals were consulted. The prospective areas totaled 311,535.2 km², equivalent to 27.3% of Colombia, and were located mainly in the Andes Mountains. The total area of mining rights and applications with strategic minerals for the energy transition is 112,802.2 km² or 9.9% of Colombia, representing 5731 rights and 3939 applications. From 2012 to 2023, 448,330 tons of nickel, 172.9 tons of silver, and 171.6 tons of copper were mined in Colombia, which has contributed USD 513,140,286 as royalties to the state. No royalties have been earned from the extraction of rare earths, lithium, or cobalt. Fulfilling the Paris Agreement is possible with new sustainable mining projects of strategic minerals.

Con el presente artículo se busca representar el paso a paso para la obtención de la valoración económica y el agendamiento de un proyecto minero, basado en un yacimiento polimetálico hipotético de Cu y Au, mediante la aplicación de los conceptos de ley equivalente para expresar la presencia de los diferentes metales en términos de un solo mineral, la ley de corte crítica y marginal para definir los límites económicamente viables de minado y la implementación del paquete de software DESWIK

The green bonds market has had a growth in recent years within its different sectors and regions. Specifically, up to 2020, the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region has issued USD 26 billion. Some authors have studied the factors influencing financing through green bonds. However, a research gap is identified in the analysis of the regions that contribute to the issuance of this type of bond, specifically for LAC. This is the first study to examine the variables such as issue amount, number and type of issuers, currency, and maturity data in the region using a dataset of issuing performed between 2014–2020. We find the typical sizes of the issues, the search for a premium in the issue, the perception of complexity, the issuance of guides, and tax incentives as the main factors affecting this market. Finally, the study presents the potential for further research.

Durante 2019 en Colombia, el 1,9% de los títulos mineros correspondientes a gran minera, aportaron el 91% de las regalías; en contraste con esta cifra económica, el 90,4% de los títulos mineros clasificados como mediana y pequeña minería, aportaron el 63% de las fatalidades (el 37% restante fue aportado por minería ilegal). Desde 2005 la autoridad minera se encuentra recopilando información sobre emergencias y fatalidades mineras, lideró la actualización al reglamento de seguridad en las labores mineras subterráneas, fortaleció la fiscalización minera, entre otros aspectos y la tendencia al aumento de este fenómeno no ha disminuido. Por lo tanto, se realiza un análisis descriptivo de esta base de datos (emergencias y fatalidades mineras) en R, un software para el procesamiento y análisis estadístico, con el fin de identificar las variables de mayor incidencia. Para finalmente proponer tres modelos estadísticos que nos permitan predecir el fenómeno de estudio en un periodo de tiempo, generando insumos para enriquecer la discusión en torno a la seguridad minera del país.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the extant literature on Project Finance (PF) with a comprehensive understanding of the status quo and research trends in the mining industry. Thus, this study utilizes a scientometric review of global trends and structure of PF and mining research from 1977 to 2020 using techniques such as co-author, co-word, co-citation, and cluster analyses. A total of 80 bibliographic records from the Scopus database were analyzed to generate the study’s research through scientometric networks. The findings indicate a steady growth of the research field, which includes Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria. The most significant contributions have originated mainly from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The main research trends identified several issues related to risk, management, and financing concerns. This study provides researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the status quo and research trends of ontology research within PF in the mining context and promotes further studies in this domain.