{"title":"Scrutinizing challenges to adopting digital technologies in the mining industry: A systematic review through PRISMA and bibliometric analysis","authors":"Javad Pakdel, Ismail Erol","doi":"10.1016/j.resourpol.2025.105713","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While the existing literature acknowledges the transformative potential of digitalization in the Mining Industry (MI), it remains highly fragmented and lacks a unified analytical synthesis. This systematic review aims to consolidate and evaluate existing knowledge by identifying the key challenges to digital transformation within the MI. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, studies were systematically retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus, using a search strategy refined through exclusion of irrelevant domains and restricted to peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2011 and 2024. A total of 41 studies met the eligibility criteria, based on inclusion of substantive discussion on digital implementation in the MI. Risk of bias was not formally assessed due to the scoping nature and methodological heterogeneity of the studies reviewed. In addition, bibliometric analysis was employed to examine publication trends, co-authorship patterns, and thematic keyword clusters. The findings reveal sixteen core challenges—ranging from high initial investment costs, legacy system constraints, and workforce resistance to regulatory ambiguities and infrastructural limitations in remote sites. Emerging technological concerns, particularly in cybersecurity and interoperability, also appear to impede large-scale digital commitment. Bibliometric insights further demonstrate the prevalence of automation- and sustainability-focused research, with recent scholarly momentum observed around blockchain-enabled traceability and AI-integrated monitoring. Although this synthesis provides insights, the evidence base is limited by uneven regional representation, conceptual dispersion, and the lack of comparative frameworks. No funding was received for this study, and it was not registered in a formal systematic review registry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20970,"journal":{"name":"Resources Policy","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 105713"},"PeriodicalIF":10.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Resources Policy","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420725002557","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"0","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
While the existing literature acknowledges the transformative potential of digitalization in the Mining Industry (MI), it remains highly fragmented and lacks a unified analytical synthesis. This systematic review aims to consolidate and evaluate existing knowledge by identifying the key challenges to digital transformation within the MI. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, studies were systematically retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus, using a search strategy refined through exclusion of irrelevant domains and restricted to peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2011 and 2024. A total of 41 studies met the eligibility criteria, based on inclusion of substantive discussion on digital implementation in the MI. Risk of bias was not formally assessed due to the scoping nature and methodological heterogeneity of the studies reviewed. In addition, bibliometric analysis was employed to examine publication trends, co-authorship patterns, and thematic keyword clusters. The findings reveal sixteen core challenges—ranging from high initial investment costs, legacy system constraints, and workforce resistance to regulatory ambiguities and infrastructural limitations in remote sites. Emerging technological concerns, particularly in cybersecurity and interoperability, also appear to impede large-scale digital commitment. Bibliometric insights further demonstrate the prevalence of automation- and sustainability-focused research, with recent scholarly momentum observed around blockchain-enabled traceability and AI-integrated monitoring. Although this synthesis provides insights, the evidence base is limited by uneven regional representation, conceptual dispersion, and the lack of comparative frameworks. No funding was received for this study, and it was not registered in a formal systematic review registry.
虽然现有文献承认数字化在采矿业(MI)中的变革潜力,但它仍然高度分散,缺乏统一的分析综合。本系统综述旨在通过确定MI中数字化转型的关键挑战来巩固和评估现有知识。根据系统综述和荟萃分析(PRISMA)指南的首选报告项目,系统地从Web of Science和Scopus中检索研究,使用通过排除不相关领域改进的搜索策略,并仅限于2011年至2024年间发表的同行评议的英语文章。基于MI中关于数字化实施的实质性讨论,共有41项研究符合资格标准。由于所审查研究的范围性质和方法异质性,未正式评估偏倚风险。此外,文献计量分析被用来检查出版趋势,共同作者模式和主题关键词集群。研究结果揭示了16个核心挑战,包括高初始投资成本、遗留系统约束、劳动力阻力、监管模糊性和远程站点基础设施限制。新兴的技术问题,特别是在网络安全和互操作性方面,似乎也阻碍了大规模的数字承诺。文献计量学的见解进一步证明了以自动化和可持续性为重点的研究的普遍性,最近在支持区块链的可追溯性和人工智能集成监测方面观察到学术势头。尽管这种综合提供了见解,但证据基础受到区域代表性不均匀、概念分散和缺乏比较框架的限制。本研究没有收到资金,也没有在正式的系统评价注册中注册。
期刊介绍:
Resources Policy is an international journal focused on the economics and policy aspects of mineral and fossil fuel extraction, production, and utilization. It targets individuals in academia, government, and industry. The journal seeks original research submissions analyzing public policy, economics, social science, geography, and finance in the fields of mining, non-fuel minerals, energy minerals, fossil fuels, and metals. Mineral economics topics covered include mineral market analysis, price analysis, project evaluation, mining and sustainable development, mineral resource rents, resource curse, mineral wealth and corruption, mineral taxation and regulation, strategic minerals and their supply, and the impact of mineral development on local communities and indigenous populations. The journal specifically excludes papers with agriculture, forestry, or fisheries as their primary focus.