Digital Technologies as a Factor in Reducing the Impact of Quarries on the Environment

Abstract

Abstract The industrial development of mankind is based on the intensive use of natural resources of the planet. The development of the mining industry is a necessary and important factor for the successful development of the national economy. At the same time, mining has a significant impact on environmental degradation. Methods for assessing and minimizing the environmental impact of mining have only been developed in practice in the last 50 years and differ significantly from country to country. The article analyses the approaches and methodologies for environmental impact assessment (EIA) based on international and national standards. The methods used in Kazakhstan and the countries of the European-Asian Economic Union (EurAsEU) are critically evaluated. The developed mathematical models are implemented in the form of digital solutions and implemented in the module of the cloud system ‘3D Quarry’. The methodology proposed by the authors for use and the developed software product allow optimizing mining operations at quarries according to the parameters of minimizing their negative impact on the environment. At the same time, it is mandatory to comply with mandatory national and international regulations. The proposed 3D Quarry system and the EIA module are an alternative to commercial software products (and their pirated copies, often used by companies in the countries under study) and are aimed at small mining companies in post-Soviet countries. It is expected that the application of the proposed software product will allow, within the technological capabilities, to minimize the impact of quarries on the environment of Kazakhstan.