A hybrid decision model and case study for comprehensive evaluation of green mine construction level

The mining industry around the world is plagued by environmental concerns associated with the exploitation and utilization of mineral resources, as well as the economic issues caused by resource depletion. With the increasing awareness of these issues and the urge to realize the goal of green transformation on the road to sustainable development, green mining has been advocated and supported by the government and society. Although it has become the development trend of the Chinese mining industry, coal mines account for only a small proportion of green mine construction. As an integral approach to promoting green mining practices, it is crucial to have a scientific and reliable evaluation index and method. However, there is a lack of research in this aspect. This study addresses this research gap by developing a hybrid grey-based decision model based on the grey analytic hierarchy process and grey clustering method to evaluate the level of green mine construction. An evaluation index system containing 24 indicators divided into four groups was built according to the connotation of green coal mines. The practicality of the proposed model is verified through a real-world case analysis of the mining area in China. The work provides technical knowledge and theoretical support for the evaluation and construction of the green mines.