1710 Table 1 – Search objects, search strings, and paper published years Search meta-data Search strings Published Keywords (SDGs) ("sustainable development goal*" OR "SDG*" OR "Agenda 2030" OR "2030 Agenda") 2015-2026 Keywords (Mining) AND ("mining" OR "mining project*" OR "extractive industr*" OR "mineral extraction" OR "resource extraction") 3. KEY FINDINGS FROM LITERATURE 3.1 SDGs applications in mining sector The literature identifies four principal types of SDG application, categorized by their influence on project decision-making and the specific project functions they address, such as reporting, planning and appraisal, risk and monitoring, and closure or transition. While SDG adoption is widespread, implementation remains inconsistent. Reporting and narrative framing are the most common approaches, whereas direct integration into routine project management systems is less common and primarily observed in specialized assessment tools and closure or land-transition decision frameworks (Perdeli Demirkan et al., 2021a; Simpson et al., 2025; Villeneuve et al., 2017a). 3.1.1 Reporting and strategy SDG application The majority of studies indicate that SDGs are primarily utilized for corporate reporting and disclosure, enabling companies to construct sustainability narratives and communicate performance to investors, regulators, and other stakeholders (Perdeli Demirkan et al., 2021a). In this capacity, SDGs tend to reinforce legitimacy and accountability within corporate social responsibility (CSR), shared value, and license-to-operate frameworks, rather than directly influencing site-level planning or operational control (Boiral et al., 2019; Saenz, 2023a; Selmier & Newenham-Kahindi, 2021). Findings from content analysis and text-mining research demonstrate that firms selectively emphasize specific SDGs and present their contributions in ways that position SDGs predominantly as a reporting mechanism rather than an operational framework (Haywood et al., 2026). The use of SDG framing is also evident in corporate descriptions of sustainability and community investment initiatives, where SDGs serve to categorize expenditures (such as health, education, infrastructure, and employment) rather than being integrated into operational controls or closure planning (Kumi et al., 2020; Mutale et al., 2019b). At the sectoral level, SDGs are similarly employed for broad benchmarking of contributions and gaps, aligning more closely with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) narratives than with implementation at the mine or project level (Baninla et al., 2025; Monteiro et al., 2019; Mvile & Bishoge, 2024). 3.1.2 Quantitative and technical localization Several studies demonstrate that SDGs can be operationalized by translating them into measurable indicators, weighted objectives, and structured decision-support tools. The Sustainable Development Analytical Grid (SDAG) exemplifies this approach by embedding SDGs into project appraisal through stakeholder-weighted objectives, site-specific indicators, and prioritized actions. This framework supports ex-ante evaluation, identifies sustainability gaps, structures regulatory dialogue, and informs closure and post-mining land-use planning (Villeneuve et al., 2017a). In addition to SDAG, technical localization is
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