Managing Open Pit to Underground Transition: A Systematic Review of Environmental and Operational Risks for Integrated Mine Planning

The transition from open pit to underground mining is becoming increasingly important as near-surface ore is depleted and mines seek to extend operating life. Yet its environmental and operational effects are often discussed separately. This systematic review examines the risks reported during the transition stage and develops an integrated framework for mine planning. Following a PRISMA-guided approach, peer-reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2026 was screened, and 69 records were included in the final review, comprising 66 primary studies and three directly relevant review articles. The evidence shows that the transition redistributes rather than simply reduces environmental pressure. Water management, ground stability, underground air quality, ventilation, and energy demand may become more important as underground development advances, while some surface impacts may decline as open pit activity decreases. The review therefore treats the active overlap period as a distinct planning stage and brings the main environmental and operational risks into one transition-planning framework.