Toward Sustainable Mining: Exploring Alternative Mineral Resources and Innovative Extraction Techniques

The relentless pace of industrialisation and globalisation has precipitated the rapid depletion of surface mineral deposits, presenting a formidable challenge to conventional mining operations and exerting a detrimental impact on their profitability. This depletion, coupled with the escalating demand for minerals, has driven prices to unprecedented highs, thereby inflating operating costs across various industries. Traditional surface and underground mining methods, struggling to meet burgeoning demands, contribute significantly to environmental degradation and substantial energy consumption. In response to these challenges, this study advocates for a paradigm shift from conventional mining methods and mineral resources toward untapped alternatives that hold the potential for enhanced economic viability and sustainability. Utilising environmentally friendly techniques and adopting more economical approaches becomes paramount in addressing the pressing demands of the current era and securing resources for future generations. This short review examines potential alternative mineral resources and the associated mining methods, including fluidised mining, deep-sea mining, brine mining, urban mining, in-situ and heap leaching, and space mining. A meticulous evaluation of the state-of-the-art technologies developed for these unconventional methods is conducted, including an assessment of their respective advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the study deliberates on the prospects of each approach, elucidating their potential contributions to alleviating the global metal crisis. This research provides insights that can inform sustainable mining practices and guide the industry toward a more environmentally responsible and economically viable future. The urgency of such a transition is underscored by the need to address the challenges posed by conventional mining and ensure the availability of mineral resources for generations to come.