Organic minerals are crystalline substances with C–C, C–H, and/or C–N bonds formed from geological processes in nature, specifically natural crystalline hydrocarbons, salts of organic acids, and metal–organic complexes. Based on the current mineral list of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) (updated as of November 2024), there are 89 organic minerals in 413 localities, including 55 organic acid salts in 277 localities, 13 hydrocarbons in 44 localities, and 21 miscellaneous organic minerals in 92 localities. Organic minerals are classified into 22 types depending on the types of organic groups, among which oxalate (37), arene (12), glycolate (7), uric acid (4), and acetate (3) are the most abundant. The organic minerals may be crystallized in all seven crystal systems, with monoclinic (45), orthorhombic (19), and triclinic (10) being the dominant ones. Depending on the covalent or ionic linkages among organic anion groups and metal polyhedra, organic minerals can be structurally classified into types of isolated molecules (35 minerals), chains (17 minerals), layers (18 minerals), and frameworks (18 minerals). Genetically, organic minerals may be formed with relation to guano substance (24), taphonomic and petrified organic materials (11), coal or oilfields (14), or as supergene minerals (32) in various host rocks in metal mines, as well as in caves (4), sea-bed sediments (2), and the Antarctic area (2). This article outlines the definitions, nomenclatures, classifications, and characteristics of organic minerals and summarizes the latest list of organic minerals. In addition, the relationships between organic minerals and crystalline biogenic substances are discussed to provide basic data for further research in this field.

The limited active sites on the smithsonite surface pose significant challenges to the interaction between collectors and the mineral surface, resulting in suboptimal flotation recovery. This study investigates the influences of Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ on the reactivity, sulfidized components, and collector adsorption on the sulfidized smithsonite surface. Flotation results demonstrated that metal ions significantly improved the flotation behavior of sulfidized smithsonite. With Cu²⁺ or Pb²⁺ activation, the flotation recovery of sulfidized smithsonite reached 80.42% and 84.52%, respectively. Notably, surface activation was further enhanced in the Cu–Pb co-activation system, achieving a flotation recovery of 97.69%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) confirmed an increase in sulfidization products on the smithsonite surface following activation with either Pb²⁺ or Cu²⁺, with further enhancement observed in the Cu–Pb co-activation system. Atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed morphological changes and variations in elemental content, demonstrating the formation of substantial Cu and Pb sulfidized components on the smithsonite surface in the Cu−Pb co-activation system. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the relative concentrations of HS⁻ and metal ions were higher near the smithsonite in the Cu–Pb co-activation system than in the single metal ion activation system. The improved adsorption behavior of the collector on the sulfidized smithsonite surface following Cu–Pb co-activation was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, adsorption measurements, and contact angle tests. Results reveal that Cu–Pb co-activation remarkably enhances potassium pentyl xanthate (KAX) adsorption on the sulfidized smithsonite surface, providing an innovative approach for improving smithsonite flotation.

This review provides an overview of the electrochemical analysis of sulfide minerals-pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena-from 2020 to 2024 and focuses on applications in flotation, leaching, and weathering. Key electrochemical techniques such as open circuit potential, cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, Tafel polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been extensively employed to elucidate the surface chemistry, redox processes, and reaction kinetics of these minerals. This research focuses on pyrite oxidation related to acid mine drainage, flotation, and gold leaching; chalcopyrite passivation during leaching; and galena oxidation in relation to leaching and weathering. Additionally, interactions between sulfide minerals and reagents, as well as galvanic interactions in flotation processes, have also been reviewed. This review can enhance the understanding of electron transfer to and from sulfide minerals during redox processes in flotation, leaching, and weathering.

Flotation efficiency strongly depends on the collision and attachment probabilities of particles with bubbles, and ultrafine particles cannot easily float due to their low probability of collision. An innovative cavitation nanobubble treatment process was investigated for its enhancement performance on fine particle flotation by performing a series of column flotation tests with pure mineral and plant flotation feed samples. The associated enhancement mechanisms were explored using advanced characterization methods, such as nanoparticle tracking analysis and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and high-speed cameras. Flotation tests with coal samples showed that the nanobubble treatment process substantially improved the flotation recovery and reduced the clean coal ash content. The cavitation flow rate was an important parameter in the nanobubble treatment process. An increase in the cavitation flow rate promoted the agglomeration of fine particles and increased the nanobubble concentration on the hydrophobic particle surface and in the bulk solution. AFM measurements with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) demonstrated that the microscopic contact angle of surface nanobubbles (SNBs) on HOPG was approximately 164° to 166°, which was substantially greater than the macroscopic contact angle of 71°, and the presence of SNBs on the HOPG surface increased the macroscopic contact angle to more than 80°. Larger contact angles increase the attachment probability and contribute to the flotation enhancement performance of fine coal particles.

To tackle the challenges of varying phosphate ore characteristics and significant fluctuations in raw ore grade, research has focused on optimizing ore blending from multiple unloading points. Given the dual demands of mining enterprises for high-quality processed ore and low production costs, two optimization objectives have been set: minimizing total grade deviation and minimizing total energy consumption. Based on actual mine production conditions, a multi-objective optimization model is developed. Since the model involves two objectives and numerous constraints, evolutionary optimization is used to solve the problem. However, traditional Pareto dominance relationships in evolutionary algorithms often result in poor convergence and feasibility issues. To overcome these limitations, a new dominance relationship, termed SDN dominance, termed niching-based strengthened dominance, is designed. This enhanced dominance approach is incorporated into non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II), replacing standard Pareto dominance. An improved NSGA-II, designated as SDN-NSGAII, is thus developed. Finally, the proposed model and algorithm are tested in a case study of an open-pit phosphate mine. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the SDN-NSGAII algorithm, highlighting its ability to stabilize ore grades while reducing energy consumption. These findings demonstrate the practicality of the model in guiding mining enterprises to develop scientific production schemes.

With the development of the coal chemical industry, the emission of coal gasification slag (CGS) has grown rapidly, raising widespread concerns about environmental pollution and resource waste. The composition and structural characteristics of CGS, such as high contents of carbon, silicon, and aluminum and well-developed pores, enable the preparation of CGS-based adsorbent materials for wastewater treatment and gas purification, thus promoting high-value resource utilization of CGS and achieving the goal of “treating waste with waste.” On the basis of the compositional and structural characteristics of CGS being summarized in this review, the preparation methods of CGS-based adsorbent materials, such as activated carbon, zeolite, mesoporous silica, and carbon–silica composites, are systematically outlined as well as their preparation mechanisms are deeply elucidated. Then, the current application status and adsorption mechanisms of various types of CGS-based adsorbent materials in the fields of wastewater treatment and gas purification, such as heavy-metal removal, nitrate removal, ammonia–nitrogen removal, dye removal, CO₂ absorption, and pollutant adsorption–catalytic degradation, are fully discussed. Finally, bottlenecks and key research directions in the preparation of high-value-added adsorbent materials from CGS are summarized and prospected. This review is of significant relevance in promoting the product development and industrial application of CGS in the field of adsorption.

Mining and mineral processing have major environmental impacts that must be assessed and mitigated. A fundamental tool in this context is life-cycle assessment (LCA), a methodology designed to quantify the environmental impacts associated with products, services, or processes. This article presents a bibliometric analysis of LCA research in the mining industry to provide an overview of the development of this field. The methodology consisted of three steps: (1) searching for publications on the Web of Science, (2) screening documents, and (3) conducting data analyses using the Bibliometrix software package. Consequently, 63 papers published between 2000 and 2024 were identified, including original articles, review articles, conference proceedings, and book chapters. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Australia are the institution and country with the most publications, and Minerals Engineering is the most prominent journal in this field. It was also found that LCA has been applied to diverse mining–metallurgical processes, extraction of various metals and minerals, consumption of natural resources, evaluation of machinery and fuels, and waste management. The application of LCA in mining is still limited owing to the lack of uniformity in methodology and the paucity of data for the mining–metallurgical sector; therefore, these obstacles must be addressed in future research.

To investigate changes in stope stability and cemented tailings backfill (CTB) strength during deep metal mine mining using the filling method in a high-temperature environment, this study analyzed the temperature and mechanical characteristics of the stope via numerical simulations. The optimal CTB mix ratio at different mining depths was determined, and the corresponding safety control measures for deep metal mine filling mining were proposed. Results show that the coupled effect of the temperature field and hydration heat release during deep filling mining complicate the stope environment. Owing to the difficulty in heat dissipation in the middle of the bulk CTB in the stope, the internal temperature of the CTB increases significantly within a short duration. Moreover, the rapid heat conduction around the CTB caused by its direct contact with the surrounding rock causes the temperature field to distribute from the center to the periphery. Throughout the sublevel mining process, the CTB temperature field exhibits the following change pattern: stable → rapidly increasing → slowly decreasing → rapidly increasing → slowly decreasing to stable → slowly increasing → slowly decreasing to stable. A comparison of test results obtained from pillar mining simulations show that the coupled temperature–stress model exhibits greater stability and safety than the single mechanical model. The CTB provides better support under the coupling effect, thus enhancing its mechanical properties under high temperature. A safety factor is introduced for the quantitative analysis of slope stability. The optimal CTB mix ratio at different mining depths is determined via safety factor iteration and economic comparison analysis. Subsequently, a reasonable temperature control scheme was designed, which offers insights into high-efficiency mining while ensuring CTB stability under high temperature.