Abstract The long‐term viability of Jatropha curcas as a biodiesel feedstock has been widely debated. Many early initiatives failed to deliver consistent economic returns despite promising environmental attributes. This study re‐evaluated J. curcas ‐based systems within an integrated environmental–economic framework, focusing on their potential role in postmining (industrial) land restoration rather than stand‐alone biofuel production. A system‐oriented analytical approach was used to examine how environmental rehabilitation requirements, cost structures, and risk‐management mechanisms interact to influence technoeconomic performance. The results indicated that economic relevance does not arise primarily from yield optimization but from the integration of biomass production into mandatory land restoration processes, where environmental obligations enable cost internalization and long‐term liability reduction. The findings show that J. curcas cultivation can be environmentally robust and economically viable when evaluated within integrated sustainability and investment frameworks. Shifting the evaluation logic from commodity profitability to system‐level value creation provides a transferable framework for diverse postmining and postindustrial contexts worldwide.
Mauricio et al. (Wed,) studied this question.