Canvas model of the mining regions’ industrial ecosystem based on a circular economy

Abstract

In order to elaborate the concept of an industrial ecosystem for circular economy for old industrial coal mining regions in Ukraine, we apply Corrine Beaumont's Lean Tribe Canvas model. The concept is based on combination of several approaches, including smart shrinking, urban mines, smart specialisation. The main idea of this concept is to organize an integrated industrial ecosystem for processing of accumulated waste of coal mining and enrichment for decades using innovative technologies for retrieving energy and other products during waste processing, as well as restructuring abandoned housing and unused industrial infrastructure. This should slow down decline of mining settlements, allow to reducing effects of anthropogenic impact on the environment in these regions, as well as mitigate social tension in the places where closed coal mines and related businesses were located. The mining town of Bílytske in Donetsk oblast was chosen as an example to assess technical, social and economic feasibility of a project based on the stated concept.