A review of the use of AI in the mining industry: Insights and ethical considerations for multi-objective optimization

Abstract

In the effort to rapidly transform the way we use energy, valuable minerals are coming increasingly into high demand. Various metals, such as copper and cobalt, are required to advance new technologies and accelerate the lowering of carbon emissions. However, their extraction often comes with high societal and environmental costs. Therefore, developing ways to extract valuable minerals in a way that benefits global as well as an individual country's sustainability goals and mitigates direct and indirect negative impacts of extraction, is a worthwhile endeavor. Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled applications provide one avenue by which to potentially speed up this process. The question remains, how do we ensure AI is used in an ethical way that benefits communities, societal development, and environmental sustainability in the mining industry? In this article we give an overview of current and potential uses of AI in the mining sector and present some ethical considerations for the use of AI in the industry. We then outline a way forward to a more ethical and sustainable approach to using AI in the mining sector through multi-objective optimization.