Unconventional Resources and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Driven by concerns over the exhaustion of primary geological resources, the security of supply and the social acceptance of conventional mining, and allowed by new technological advancements and innovations, interest in unconventional mineral and energy resources is growing. Such resources potentially include low-grade and complex ores; previously discarded wastes; difficult to access and develop deep underground, seabed and polar deposits; resources in the outer space; and easily available but dispersed stocks accumulated above the ground within modern cities. Developing unconventional resources can help to expand the resources base and diversify supply, meeting the demand of a growing population and increasing living standards. Yet, it is important to stay within the ecological limits of the planet, and therefore sustainability considerations will be critical in defining the pathway towards the future of resources supply, use and circulation within a modern society.

This Special Issue seeks submissions focusing on the sustainability of developing unconventional resources, from theoretical frameworks to practical case studies and from technical and environmental to broader socio-economic and regulatory aspects. In particular, some potential topics could include the following:

• Complex ore bodies;
• Mine tailings and waste rock, abandoned mines;
• Unconventional energy resources;
• Potential of and challenges in seabed mining;
• The role of urban stocks/mining in resources supply;
• Resources and reserves estimation, including historic perspectives;
• Life cycle and environmental impact assessments;
• Innovations in mining practices;
• Phytomining and biologically assisted mineral processing;
• Transition to circular economy and renewable energy generation;
• Geo-political concerns and security of supply;
• Regulatory regimes and policies.

Dr. Artem Golev
Dr. Tim Werner
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• unconventional resources
• material scarcity
• sustainable development
• mine life cycle
• urban mining
• recycling
• circularity