In an era where environmental sustainability intersects with technological advancement, this study delves into the transformative role of geological big data in enhancing environmental compliance within the U.S. mining industry. The paper navigates through the intricate dynamics of environmental challenges, regulatory frameworks, and the burgeoning influence of big data in geosciences, culminating in a comprehensive exploration of its application in predictive environmental management and stakeholder engagement. The aim is to elucidate the potential of big data in revolutionizing mining practices, ensuring compliance, and fostering sustainability. Adopting a qualitative methodology, the study synthesizes insights from various scholarly sources, focusing on the intersection of big data with environmental regulations, methodological innovations in data analysis, and the theoretical perspectives on compliance. The scope encompasses an in-depth analysis of how big data analytics can be leveraged for predictive environmental management, addressing limitations and challenges in its application, and evaluating stakeholder perspectives on its efficacy. The findings reveal that big data serves as a pivotal tool in identifying environmental risks, enhancing regulatory compliance, and promoting sustainable mining practices. It underscores the necessity of integrating big data into regulatory frameworks to improve environmental monitoring and decision-making processes. The study concludes with recommendations for augmented investment in data infrastructure, development of data analytics expertise, and fostering a culture of ethical data utilization. This study serves as a clarion call for embracing the potentialities of big data in charting a sustainable future for the mining industry. It advocates for a paradigm shift towards data-driven decision-making processes, pivotal in balancing economic viability with environmental stewardship.
Usiagu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.