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Open research questions in Mining and Resource Management

341 gap statements mined from Mining and Resource Management papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,985 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • When coordination costs are high, positive incentives are insufficient, and penalties for non-coordination are weak, strengthened collaborative regulation by the government, proactive coordination by coal mining enterprises, and proactive response by professional rescue forces all struggle to generate payoff advantages.

    Evolutionary Game Analysis and Capability Reconstruction of Coal Mine Disaster Emergency Governance Oriented Toward Collaborative Resilience · 2026 · DOI

  • In contrast, the Current Practice (A1) exhibited the lowest performance, confirming that conventional approaches based on minimal intervention and basic monitoring are insufficient for addressing complex soil contamination problems in mining environments.

    A Hybrid AHP–TOPSIS–SBSC Framework for Sustainable Soil Protection in Surface Coal Mining · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on the application of the IMORM model in various industrial sectors and geographical conditions in order to verify its universality and adapt it to the specifics of individual sectors.

    Integrated Occupational and Environmental Risk Assessment in Cement Surface Mining: The IMORM Model · 2026 · DOI

  • A limitation of this study is the small number of interviewees, with 22 TKHPs representing three Native nations. Additionally, this study partnered with only three Native nations in the US Southwest; hence, the results may not be generalizable to the entirety of Indigenous TKHPs.

    Traditional Knowledge Holders and Practitioners: First Responders in Native Nations During the COVID-19 Pandemic · 2025 · DOI

  • Further research on the prospective fate of the huge amounts of toxic waste present in various environmental compartments of the area and options for environmental remediation is needed. This research must also address the effects of ongoing climate change, such as more frequent extreme rainfall and flooding events, on the remobilization and spreading of contaminated sediments.

    Toxic Legacy—Environmental Impacts of Historic Metal Mining and Metallurgy in the Harz Region (Germany) at Local, Regional and Supra-Regional Levels · 2025 · DOI

  • Inadequate community engagement and limited government oversight in water resource management. Confidential consumption data and lack of transparency in the mining industry. Limited consideration of social and environmental aspects in water resource management.

    The Water Management Impacts of Large-Scale Mining Operations: A Social and Environmental Perspective · 2024 · DOI

  • Future research should gather quantitative data on water availability to assess community impact, improve data accessibility, and prioritize long-term water management practices, enhancing resilience against severe droughts in mining areas.

    The Water Management Impacts of Large-Scale Mining Operations: A Social and Environmental Perspective · 2024 · DOI

  • A primary limitation of this study is that it reflects only the perspectives of the local population in the Bor–Majdanpek region, without including other relevant stakeholders or vulnerable groups.

    Mining-Scapes of Participation in Serbian Extractive Regions: Enhancing Participatory Processes in Decision-Making · 2025 · DOI

  • Field visits to Korba indicated highly limited knowledge among mine-affected communities.

    Mine closure policy and elusive just transition in a central Indian coalfield · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of these recommended approaches, including long-itudinal studies tracking whether outcome-based licensing and hybrid governance mechanisms actually produce measurable improvements in environmental outcomes compared to current symbolic regulation.

    Does Licensing Matter? Cyanide Handling, Cyanidation Wastewater Treatment, and Tailings Management in Gold Leaching Plants in Siaya County, Kenya · 2026 · DOI

  • How institutional arrangements enable value co-creation in the ecological restoration of legacy abandoned mining areas through multi-stakeholder participation remain systematically under-researched.

    Institutional configurational pathways and legal safeguards for value co-creation in mining area ecological restoration: A configurational analysis of legacy abandoned mining areas · 2026 · DOI

  • The two sides are competing for influence in Pacific islands, but local perceptions of these external powers are under-researched.

    Corporate social responsibilities of Chinese enterprises and local perceptions: Ramu NiCo mine in the Pacific · 2025 · DOI

  • Lack of structured rehabilitation frameworks. Inflated land prices demanded by villagers and unauthorized entry into mining zones.

    Soapstone Mining in Uttarakhand: White Gold or Himalayan Burden? A Socio-Economic, Geological, and Policy Perspective on Sustainable Resource Development · 2026 · DOI

  • There has yet to be a sustained theoretical engagement with deep sea mining as it relates to the specific geographies, histories, and cultural perspectives of Oceania. The region lacks a nuanced understanding of the cultural and spiritual perspectives of island communities.

    Framing deep sea mining in/with oceania · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies technical challenges related to the development of tourism and recreational clusters, including the need for regulatory measures and the mitigation of geoecological challenges. The study highlights domain challenges, such as the decline of coal production and export, and the need for alternative economic strategies.

    On geoecological assessment of economic diversification in coal-mining regions · 2026 · DOI

  • The results of the study are limited by the use of generalized data. The social and economic conditions of coal-mining regions are not homogeneous, requiring consideration of territorial specificity.

    On geoecological assessment of economic diversification in coal-mining regions · 2026 · DOI

  • The study relies on a modelled scenario, which may not reflect real-world outcomes. The model does not account for all factors that may influence nickel supply and demand. The study highlights the need for further research on the impacts of nickel mining on biodiversity and climate targets.

    Growing nickel supply from the tropics threatens priority conservation areas · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the impact of the DPEM's activities on environmental protection and social responsibility. Research can also focus on the development of strategies to improve transparency and social responsibility in the mining sector.

    La contribution de la Direction de Protection de l'Environnement Minier (DPEM) dans la gouvernance minière en République Démocratique du Congo: Impacts Sociaux Environnementaux · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective implementation of environmental regulations in the mining sector. The need for improved transparency and social responsibility in the mining sector.

    La contribution de la Direction de Protection de l'Environnement Minier (DPEM) dans la gouvernance minière en République Démocratique du Congo: Impacts Sociaux Environnementaux · 2026 · DOI

  • The sample size is limited to 50 respondents. The study relies on self-reported data.

    Assessing the Impact of Natural Resource Exploitation on Environmental Degradation: A Case Study of the Pampana River, Sierra Leone · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to evaluate the impact of natural resource exploitation on environmental degradation. There is a lack of understanding of the environmental consequences of resource exploitation in the Pampana River.

    Assessing the Impact of Natural Resource Exploitation on Environmental Degradation: A Case Study of the Pampana River, Sierra Leone · 2026 · DOI

  • The research highlights the need for further study on the factors driving the influx of actors into mineral trading.

    Essai d’une analyse critique sur la motivation et la réalisation des acteurs de l’exploitation minière artisanale de diamant et de l’or à Kisangani dans la province de la Tshopo, RDC · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a comprehensive assessment of Indonesia's nickel potential.

    CONTRASTING LATERITIC NICKEL ORE CHARACTERISTICS IN EASTERN INDONESIA: THE URGENCY OF SHIFTING FROM RKEF TO HPAL · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should continue to develop and refine the concept of criticality as a relational construct. Further studies should explore the implications of criticality for policymakers and industry leaders, particularly in the context of Brazil and Latin America.

    Critical minerals, geopolitics and sovereignty: Brazil's institutional challenge · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the effects of mining on soil degradation in the Rusororo Sector, Rwanda - The research aims to address this gap by investigating the relationships between mining activities and soil…

    Assessment of Negative Impacts of Mining on Soil in Rusororo Sector · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Mining and Resource Management

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Future research should focus on the application of the IMORM model in various industrial sectors and geographical conditions in order to verify its universality and adapt it to the specifics of individual sectors (“Integrated Occupational and Environmental Risk Assessment in Cement Surface…”, 2026); (2) The lack of effective implementation of environmental regulations in the mining sector (“La contribution de la Direction de Protection de l'Environnement Minier (DPEM)…”, 2026); (3) There is a need to evaluate the impact of natural resource exploitation on environmental degradation (“Assessing the Impact of Natural Resource Exploitation on Environmental…”, 2026); (4) The lack of a comprehensive assessment of Indonesia's nickel potential (“CONTRASTING LATERITIC NICKEL ORE CHARACTERISTICS IN EASTERN INDONESIA: THE…”, 2026); (5) Future research should continue to develop and refine the concept of criticality as a relational construct (“Critical minerals, geopolitics and sovereignty: Brazil's institutional challenge”, 2026). 341 gap statements have been mined from Mining and Resource Management papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,985 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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