Application of Digital Technologies for Investment Evaluation of Mining Projects in the Western part of the Arctic

The authors consider the mining-geological and technical-economic conditions of promising ore deposits in the Western part of the Arctic of the Russian Federation and analyze the existing methods for evaluating investment projects. They have revealed that the methods do not take into account the intensive introduction of digital technologies, automation and robotization of machines and equipment into the mining industry. The authors substantiate the necessity of using digital technologies in the investment appraisal of mining projects. The study objective is the developing of an improved method for investment appraisal in the Western Arctic mining projects. The authors suggest a methodical approach based on parametric and scenario modeling, which allows minimizing the influence of uncertainty factors and increasing the efficiency of decision-making. Thus, for the practical implementation of the approach in the investment appraisal of mining projects, taking into account digital technologies, they propose an algorithm that includes six effective steps. A distinctive feature of the approach is the use of methods for modeling mining equipment objects. The mining and geological information system MINEFRAME, created at the Mining Institute of the KSC RAS, has the necessary functionality. An investment appraisal of 13 promising deposits as mining projects is completed. The authors select nine (9) deposits that best meet the criteria of economic feasibility. Types of ore minerals: titanium, rare earth elements, lithium, vanadium group the selected deposits and ranked according to investment evaluation indicators. The authors propose economically justified and effective scenarios for involving investment-attractive deposits in the economic turnover. Both the integration of mining projects into closely located mining enterprises and their autonomous development are envisaged.