Cement paste is an already well-known material used in ore mining. It is mainly used to fill excavation areas and the tailings from the surface return to underground mines. In this way, the amount of deposited material and degradation of the surface of the terrain are reduced. The paste itself can be used as an artificial barrier between mining works and underground watercourses. Significant economic and environmental benefits can be expected from using cement paste, which would contribute to sustainable development. The basic materials that make up cemented paste backfill (CPB) are flotation tailings, cement, and water. For CPB to be adequately and safely applied to the filling of excavation spaces and indirectly to the protection of the groundwater, environment, and sustainable development of the mining industry, it must meet certain physical–mechanical, physicochemical, and deformation properties. This paper presents the results of synthesized and analyzed samples of different compositions based on flotation tailings (from the production of ZiJin Copper in Bor, Serbia), cement, and water. The methods used for chemical and mineralogical tests include inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs; turbidimetry). The results prepared with CPB consisting of 5% cement, 24% water, and 71% flotation tailings were the most acceptable.

The mining industry is one of the greatest polluters of the environment and has direct positive and negative impacts on all three pillars of sustainable development: economy, environment and society. Due to the aforementioned, primarily negative impacts on the environment, it is important to implement sustainability principles in the operations of companies in the mining industry. The implementation of the sustainability principle enables the economically profitable, ecologically clean and socially responsible exploitation and processing of mineral raw materials. This means of doing business requires the introduction of clean or green technologies, which are the product of green innovation. The innovation process is highly dependent on knowledge. Knowledge has a great contribution to creativity and the creation of innovation. Accordingly, knowledge management activities and the ability of a company to use and combine different sources of knowledge are essential for the creation of different types of innovation, including green innovation. The research, including the pilot test, was carried out in the period of May–August 2022, whereby convenience sampling was used to obtain 626 employees in six mining companies in Serbia. The structural equation modeling approach was used to evaluate the causal relationship between knowledge management, green innovation and the sustainable operations of the mining industry. The indirect effects of the dimensions of knowledge management, through the dimensions of green innovation, on the dimensions of sustainable development were examined using the bootstrap procedure. The results of the study confirmed the positive direct and indirect relations between the constructs. The research indicates the importance of including all components of knowledge management and green innovation in achieving all components of business sustainability.

Local authorities have a very important role in preserving natural resources and achieving the concept of sustainable development. Leadership, but primarily sustainable leadership, plays a major role in the management of natural resources. Sustainability at local level refers not only to environmental issues such as the conservation of natural resources, energy and environment but also efforts to involve the community in the processes, develop organizational capacities and promote the principles of sustainable development. This research analyses the importance and role of the leadership of local self-government in the preservation of natural resources and the realization of the concept of sustainable development. The research was performed in local governments on the territory of Eastern Serbia. The correlation method is used to determine the interrelation between leadership and sustainable management of natural resources and practical application of the basic principles of sustainable development.

Arsenic and toxic metals can reach food and honey through water and air, thus endangering the safe consumption of the same. These toxic substances can damage human health through the food chain, which is contrary to the goals of sustainability related to health and food safety. It is necessary to continuously control and measure the concentration of pollutants to ensure the safety of food produced near mining areas. The arsenic content of honey samples from a territory up to 32 km in diameter from the mine (Bor town, east Serbia, and its surroundings), as determined by ICP-MS, is presented in this paper. PM₁₀ particles and water were also analyzed for arsenic content. Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical cluster analysis were used for statistical analysis. The obtained results showed that the content of arsenic in honey was below the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) value. The honey was not contaminated, although the results showed that the concentrations of arsenic in water and PM₁₀ particles were elevated. The results indicate that the environment in these areas is damaged and point towards caution.

Knowledge has become a key resource and the driver of economic progress. The distribution of welfare in the world demonstrates that the richest countries are the ones that have the knowledge, not natural resources. Creating a knowledge-based society is the foundation for sustainable development. Key factors influencing the creation of a knowledge-based economy are investments in education, research and development and application of new technologies. Nevertheless, culture, attitudes and values that affect people’s commitment to continuous improvement and learning, can also play an important role in creating a knowledge society for sustainable development. In this paper authors are making an attempt to identify the basic values of employees in several Serbian companies by means of factor analysis approach, with special emphasis on the national cultural dimensions framework and its utility.

Slovenská akadémia vied vykonáva špičkový základný výskum, dlhodobý strategický a aplikovaný výskum a vývoj a poskytuje prístup k vedeckej infraštruktúre.