MCDM Applied to the Evaluation of Transitional and Post-Mining Conditions—An Innovative Perspective Developed through the EIT ReviRIS Project

Abstract

In mine design and planning, the identification of an appropriate Post-Mining Land Use (PMLU) is necessary and crucial to achieve environmental quality, socio-economic renewal, and social acceptance of mining projects. In this context, Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods support decision-makers and stakeholders, identifying the relevant factors and criteria, so that, different available alternatives can be evaluated, compared, and contrasted with each other. With the vision to enable its wide application, 15 mine profiles are identified which, combined with selected MCDM methods and relevant factors, results in a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework for PMLU. In this preliminary framework, the MCDM methods selected are SIMUS, TOPSIS, and SMARTER. They serve different problems and, therefore, are used in different profiles: SIMUS is applied to complex profiles, TOPSIS to the lesser ones, and SMARTER is used due to its capacity of assigning weights to criteria based on Ranking Order Centroid calculations. This preliminary MCDA structure gives the possibility to include the complexity (technical and decisional) and a participatory process, for all stakeholders involved concerning PMLU.