Multicriteria Decision-Making for Sustainable Mining: Evaluating the Transition to Net-Zero-Carbon Energy Systems

Oluwaseye Samson Adedoja (), Emmanuel Rotimi Sadiku and Yskandar Hamam
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Oluwaseye Samson Adedoja: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Staatsartillerie Rd, Pretoria West, Pretoria 0183, South Africa
Emmanuel Rotimi Sadiku: Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Staatsartillerie Rd, Pretoria West, Pretoria 0183, South Africa
Yskandar Hamam: Department of Electrical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Staatsartillerie Rd, Pretoria West, Pretoria 0183, South Africa

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-32

Abstract: Transitioning to sustainability is particularly challenging in the mining domain since operations must also be economically viable and meet operational efficiency requirements. Several competing criteria, including stakeholder interests and technological uncertainties, complicate the selection of appropriate sustainable technologies. This study evaluates sustainable mining technologies by using a novel multicriteria decision-making framework. Six alternatives were assessed against ten criteria through expert consultation with eight academic professionals. The research employs three fuzzy methods (TOPSIS, COPRAS, and VIKOR) integrated through a proposed Geometric Inverse Distance Aggregation (GIDA) approach. The results demonstrate that waste heat recovery systems are the optimal solution with the highest GIDA score (0.0319) and agreement (99.99%), followed by solar-powered mining (0.0232, 82.12% agreement). The findings suggest a practical implementation pathway, prioritizing proven technologies while preparing for emerging solutions. This research contributes to the sustainable mining literature by providing a comprehensive evaluation framework and practical implementation guidance for mining companies transitioning to sustainable operations.

Keywords: sustainable mining; multicriteria decision-making; fuzzy TOPSIS; fuzzy COPRAS; fuzzy VIKOR; geometric inverse distance aggregation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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