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Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development
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Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Hazards and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 17 October 2026 | Viewed by 2958

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Shucheng Tan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Earth Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
2. Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Critical Mineral Resource, Kunming 650500, China
Interests: mineral resource; geological relic; geological disaster

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As we know, mineral resources and the geological environment are the basis of the economy's and society's sustainable development. The sustainable usage of natural resources, protection of the geological environment, and prevention of geological disasters are perennial subjects of scientific inquiry. Therefore, this Special Issue will focus on the publication of theoretical discussion and application demonstration research articles in the fields of mineral resource exploration and comprehensive utilization, mine environmental protection, geological relic and geopark, and geological environment assessment for making contributions to the sustainable development of humanity from the perspective of geoconservation. This Special Issue will publish articles on the following topics:

  1. Critical mineral resources prospecting and comprehensive utilization;
  2. Mine environment protection and ecological restoration;
  3. Geological relics and geoparks;
  4. Geological environment evaluation and geological disaster prevention.

Prof. Dr. Shucheng Tan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • critical mineral resources
  • mine environment
  • geological relics
  • geoparks
  • geological environment
  • geological disaster
  • mine ecological restoration

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 4499 KB  
Article
Genetic Model and Main Controlling Factors of the Wuding Geothermal Field, Yunnan Province, China: Implications for Sustainable Geothermal Utilization
by Junjie Ba, Fufang Gao and Qingyu Zhang
Sustainability 2026, 18(8), 3681; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083681 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 338
Abstract
Located in the north of Yunnan Province, China, the Wuding geothermal area is a typical medium- and low-temperature geothermal system with strong hydrothermal activity and development potential as a clean and renewable energy resource. This study systematically investigates the main controlling factors of [...] Read more.
Located in the north of Yunnan Province, China, the Wuding geothermal area is a typical medium- and low-temperature geothermal system with strong hydrothermal activity and development potential as a clean and renewable energy resource. This study systematically investigates the main controlling factors of the Wuding geothermal field through field investigation, hydrochemical analysis, and stable isotope analysis, and puts forward a genetic model of the geothermal field. The results show that the Wuding geothermal field is a medium- to low-temperature, conduction-dominated geothermal system, and its geothermal water is predominantly of the Ca–HCO3 (calcium bicarbonate) type. The recharge area lies at an altitude above 2250 m, which is speculated to be within the mountainous area in the southwest of the study area. The underground hot water in the area is immature water. The source water circulates to the deep heat storage zone along faults, rises to the surface through heat convection, and is exposed as hot springs. Upon discharge, the geothermal water mixes with shallow cold water, with cold-water dilution accounting for up to 85% of the total volume. Using the silica thermometer, cation thermometer, and silicon enthalpy model, the maximum temperature of heat storage is estimated to be 91 °C, with the depth of geothermal water circulation reaching 2200 m. The thermal reservoir is composed of dolomites of the Upper Cambrian Erdaoshui Formation (∈3e) and Sinian Dengying Formation (Zbd). Its heat source is heat flow from the upper mantle and the decay of radioactive elements. Continuous heat flow to the thermal reservoir is maintained through the fold fracture zone and faults in the core of the Hongshanwan anticline. The proposed genetic model of the Wuding geothermal field provides a scientific basis for the sustainable redevelopment and utilization of this geothermal resource and is of significance for regional low-carbon energy use and socio-economic sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development)
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28 pages, 7298 KB  
Article
Landslide Hazard Zonation Driven by Multi-Rainfall Scenarios Based on the Optimal XGBoost Model—A Case Study of Yongren County, Yunnan Province, China
by Zhaoning Zeng, Shucheng Tan, Anqiang Li, Yuanhui Ling and Weiyi Zhou
Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 11307; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172411307 - 17 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 652
Abstract
To address the limitations of low model accuracy and single-scenario settings in traditional rainfall-induced landslide hazard assessments, this study focuses on Yongren County, Yunnan Province—a region where landslides pose significant threats to sustainable socio-economic development and infrastructure resilience. Eight controlling factors—lithology, slope, terrain [...] Read more.
To address the limitations of low model accuracy and single-scenario settings in traditional rainfall-induced landslide hazard assessments, this study focuses on Yongren County, Yunnan Province—a region where landslides pose significant threats to sustainable socio-economic development and infrastructure resilience. Eight controlling factors—lithology, slope, terrain relief, distances to faults, rivers, and roads, vegetation coverage, and elevation—were used to build a landslide susceptibility index system. Three internationally recognized machine learning models, Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were applied for comparison. The XGBoost model was further coupled with rainfall scenario analysis, simulating three rainfall scenarios—normal, 10-year, and 20-year return periods—to form a framework integrating “high-precision susceptibility prediction–multi-scenario rainfall driving–dynamic hazard assessment.” Results show that XGBoost achieved the highest accuracy and stability, with AUC and overall accuracy exceeding those of RF and SVM, supporting high-precision multi-scenario simulations. High-hazard zones expanded from road-disturbed areas under normal rainfall to riverbanks under 10-year rainfall and to fault-fracture and road–river interaction zones under 20-year rainfall. This study provides a transferable framework for sustainable landslide risk management, enabling precision prevention, optimizing resource allocation for disaster risk reduction, and supporting evidence-based policy-making for sustainable development and climate adaptation in similar geological settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development)
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22 pages, 12778 KB  
Article
Dynamic Correlation Analysis of Surface Deformation and Geological Hazard Risks in Mining Areas Based on SBAS-InSAR Technology and the Information Content Model-Analytic Hierarchy Process
by Yating Zhang, Zhigang Kong, Chuanbing Zhu, Baoxin Cai, An Yuan and Kangli Xiao
Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 10958; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172410958 - 8 Dec 2025
Viewed by 465
Abstract
To ensure the sustainability of mining activities, it is imperative to effectively manage their environmental impacts, particularly geological hazards. Mining areas feature fragile geological environments subject to intense engineering disturbances, with complex underground hazard mechanisms and limited remediation space. These factors exacerbate the [...] Read more.
To ensure the sustainability of mining activities, it is imperative to effectively manage their environmental impacts, particularly geological hazards. Mining areas feature fragile geological environments subject to intense engineering disturbances, with complex underground hazard mechanisms and limited remediation space. These factors exacerbate the challenges of hazard identification and prevention, threatening the region’s long-term sustainable development. InSAR technology, with its advantages of wide coverage, high resolution, and high sensitivity, provides an effective tool for early identification of geological hazards, enabling proactive environmental monitoring. Taking Tangfang Town in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan Province as a case study, this paper integrates SBAS-InSAR technology with multi-source data to conduct coordinated research on surface deformation monitoring and geological hazard risk assessment. Based on 82 Sentinel-1 images spanning May 2022 to April 2025, surface deformation characteristics were extracted for the study area. Results indicate that the average annual deformation rate in the line-of-sight (LOS) direction ranges from −61.92 to 42.39 mm/a, with a maximum cumulative deformation of 185.5 mm. High-deformation zones are concentrated near mining faces, and rainfall is a significant driver exacerbating deformation. Nine evaluation factors, including elevation, slope gradient, and deformation magnitude, were selected; combining the information content model with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for geological hazard risk assessment yielded an AUC value of 0.776 on the ROC curve, indicating high model accuracy. High and extremely high-risk zones covered most known disaster sites. Significant synergy was observed between surface deformation rates and risk zoning, with medium-to-high deformation intensity predominantly distributed in high-risk zones, confirming the intrinsic consistency between deformation and hazard risk. The proposed synergistic framework integrates deformation monitoring with risk assessment. It provides methodological support on the one hand for “mining while controlling” practices in mining areas, and on the other hand for geological hazard prevention in the Wumeng Mountains, promoting sustainable and coordinated development between resource exploitation and regional sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development)
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25 pages, 5679 KB  
Article
Mine Emergency Rescue Capability Assessment Integrating Sustainable Development: A Combined Model Using Triple Bottom Line and Relative Difference Function
by Lu Feng, Jing Xie and Yuxian Ke
Sustainability 2025, 17(22), 9948; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17229948 - 7 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 889
Abstract
Assessing Mine Emergency Rescue Capability (MERC) is critical for ensuring mining safety and advancing sustainable development. However, existing MERC assessments often lack a holistic sustainability perspective. To bridge this gap, this study develops a MERC assessment model grounded in the Triple Bottom Line [...] Read more.
Assessing Mine Emergency Rescue Capability (MERC) is critical for ensuring mining safety and advancing sustainable development. However, existing MERC assessments often lack a holistic sustainability perspective. To bridge this gap, this study develops a MERC assessment model grounded in the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, integrating the relative difference function (RDF) to address the fuzziness and subjectivity in evaluation processes. A hierarchical indicator system is constructed, comprising 5 primary factors and 25 sub-indicators across environmental, economic, and social dimensions, reflecting both immediate rescue effectiveness and long-term sustainability performance. Indicator weights are derived from a hybrid approach that combines the subjective G1 method with the objective entropy weight method. RDF is employed to compute membership degrees, and the final MERC level is determined by level characteristic values. The model is validated through an empirical study of six green mines in China. Results demonstrate robust performance and consistency with alternative methods and reveal the environmental dimension as the dominant driver within the TBL framework. This finding supports the ecology-first principle of green mining and underscores the alignment of high-level emergency preparedness with sustainable development objectives. By explicitly embedding sustainability principles into safety assessment, the proposed model provides a scientifically grounded tool to guide the green transformation of the mining industry. Future work will adapt the model to diverse mining contexts and refine the indicators to better support global sustainability goals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Resource Utilization and GeoConservation for Sustainable Development)
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