International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering (6 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Combating Illegal Mining in Ghana: Barriers and Policy Implications  
  by Anthony Acquah 
  Abstract: The study aims to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) is used to address the challenges posed by activities of illegal miners in Ghana. The study adopts exploratory research design within the qualitative research approach. The study concentrates on regions noted for illegal mining activities, in particular Eastern, Ashanti and Western regions of Ghana. Twenty-one (21) participants were selected for interviews, including local government officials, community leaders, regional coordinating council, law enforcement bodies, legislators, staff from the office of the president, AI experts and illegal miners. Reflective thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. While AI has the potential to combat illegal mining, its effectiveness is greatly weakened by challenges such as poor data quality, inadequate technological infrastructure, lack of stakeholder engagement, weak environmental regulation and insufficient sustainable funding. These obstacles hamper the effective integration of AI for environmental monitoring purposes.
  Keywords: Technology; Artificial Intelligence; technology acceptance model; illegal mining; resource governance; mining; machine learning; drones; satellite imaging; developing economies.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10073181
   
  
• Impact of infrared drying on strength and storage characteristics of iron ore briquettes  
  by Rishi Sharma, D.S. Nimaje 
  Abstract: The demand for steel products has surged in our infrastructure dependent 21st century world. With iron ore reserves depleting rapidly, it is crucial to utilise iron ore fines and metallurgical waste effectively in the steel industry. To address this, the agglomeration process is employed to make proper use of these fines and metallurgical wastes, such as flue dust and LD sludge, by combining them with bentonite and cement as binders to form cylindrical briquettes. The drying was used in the production of iron ore agglomerates achieving sufficient initial strength which is crucial to prevent breakage during transportation, handling, and storage unlike traditional processes such as sintering and nodulising, which require heating the agglomerates to high temperatures (around 1,100°C) and result in increased carbon emissions. The heat induration process using infrared drying offers a method to produce high-quality dried products and also promoting eco-friendly briquettes with reduced carbon emission.
  Keywords: infrared; briquette; drying; storage characteristics; agglomeration; palletisation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10071673
   
  
• Investigating the performance of a multilayer capillary barrier in mitigating acid mine drainage  
  by Mahsa Sadeghi Vazin, Ali Akhtarpour, Mohsen Karrabi, Farzad Daliri, Mohammad Saleh Baradaran 
  Abstract: Mining operations generate vast quantities of tailings, often leading to acid mine drainage (AMD), a major environmental concern. This study evaluates the performance of a multilayer capillary barrier system in controlling AMD at the Sungun copper mine through both experimental and numerical approaches. A glass column experiment was conducted with a 50 cm fine-grained layer sandwiched between two 30 cm coarse-grained layers. Results demonstrated that the fine-grained layer retained more than 85% saturation even under a 40-day drought period, reducing moisture loss by only 3%. The capillary barrier effectively restricted oxygen diffusion, maintaining oxygen penetration levels below 10-20 kg/day, significantly reducing sulphide oxidation. Numerical modelling using SEEP/W and CTRAN/W confirmed the experimental findings, with deviations of less than 2%. The study highlights the long-term effectiveness of capillary barriers in AMD prevention, making them a sustainable alternative for tailings management. These results provide critical insights for designing cost-effective and environmentally friendly mine closure strategies.
  Keywords: capillary barrier; acid mine drainage; oxygen diffusion; numerical modelling; unsaturated soil mechanics; tailings management; environmental protection.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10071359
   
  
• Acid mine drainage and metal leaching potential of a waste rock dump  
  by J.K. Kusi, G. Foli, M.Y. Peasah, O. Akoto 
  Abstract: Acid mine drainage (AMD) is identified as one of the key contributors to environmental hazard in the gold mining towns. This issue is particularly related to deposits (mine waste rocks) containing sulphide minerals, which are prone to oxidation under the influence of atmospheric oxygen and water. This study therefore assesses Sansu waste rock dump's acid generating capacity and its metal leaching potential. Fifteen (15) waste rock samples were obtained from various areas of the dump and analysed using ICP-MS and ICP-AES devices, while XRD analysis was used to evaluate the mineralogy of the samples. The acid base accounting (ABA) test was used to determine the dump's potential AMD. To further establish the dump's AMD potential and determine the metal leaching potential, a column leaching test was conducted. Correlation and principal component analysis was determined. One notable finding was the oxidation-neutralisation curve, which indicated a high neutralisation capacity at the site.
  Keywords: acid base accounting test; ABA; major elements; heavy metals; oxidising-neutralising curve; acid neutralisation capacity; ANC; sulphidic minerals.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10071834
   
  
• Analysis of the pit lake closure option for open pit quarries  
  by Abubakary Salama, Alphonce Wikedzi 
  Abstract: The suitability of pit lake closure option was assessed for ten open-pit quarry mines in Lugoba and Msata, Tanzania. The study integrated hydrological, geochemical and geotechnical assessment. Hydrological assessment addressed current and future water quality for pit lakes. Geochemical characterisation established hazardous elements and potential for acid generation. Geotechnical analysis established prior and current stability of pit walls. Hydrological assessment revealed good water quality, with pit lakes attaining equilibrium in 14 to 126 years, at depths of 18 to 40 metres. Geochemical assessment showed albite, quartz, and calcite as the dominant minerals. Aluminium and iron mobilisation was considered negligible due to absence of acidic conditions. Geotechnical assessment revealed high stability of pit walls before and after formation of pit lakes. The study proved that pit lake closure is a viable and sustainable option for quarry mine sites. This transforms former quarries into water resources for irrigation, livestock and other secondary uses, while mitigating post-mining environmental risks in nearby communities.
  Keywords: quarry pits; hydrological study; water balance; geochemical characterisation; geotechnical analysis; environment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10072310
   
  
• Development and application of comprehensive evaluation system for the whole process of mining projects  
  by Qingbao Zou, Yunsen Wang, Panting He, Xiangwei Kong, Guiping Zheng 
  Abstract: Rapid economic growth has increased demand for mineral resources, accelerating the development of the mining industry. Mining companies often manage multiple projects simultaneously, facing challenges in performance, cost, and risk management. To address the lack of systematic evaluation frameworks in this domain, this paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation model for the entire process of mining projects. The comprehensive evaluation covers seven aspects: preliminary work, preparation for project implementation, project implementation management, settlement management, final investment cost, post-completion operation, and cost reduction and efficiency improvement. A total of 43 preliminary evaluation indicators were formulated, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was integrated with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method. The model was applied to an automated control project for a gold mine backfilling station, yielding a final evaluation score of 75.7 that closely aligned with on-site investigation findings, thereby assisting management in formulating and implementing subsequent decisions.
  Keywords: analytic hierarchy process; AHP; fuzzy comprehensive evaluation; FCE; comprehensive evaluation system; whole process evaluation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2025.10072672