METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF MINING ENTERPRISES IN REMOTE NORTHERN REGIONS

Abstract

The article proposes a methodology for an integrated assessment of the economic sustainability of mining enterprises operating in remote northern regions. The relevance of the study is determined by the high capital intensity of mining projects, dependence on seasonal transport accessibility, a significant share of transport and energy costs, labour constraints, and volatility in mineral commodity prices. The methodology is based on the normalization of individual indicators and calculation of an integrated index comprising financial and investment, production and resource, logistics and energy, human and social, environmental, and risk management components. A procedure for expert determination of weights and methodological testing is proposed. A hypothetical mining enterprise in the Magadan Region obtained an integrated index of 0.67, indicating a sustainable but logistics- and price-risk-sensitive position. The tool can be used in corporate planning, internal audit, investment appraisal, and monitoring of regional mining projects.