Parinesa Moshefi - Department of Geology, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran
Zohreh Khajeh Saeid - Department of Economics, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran

Mining of economic resources faces extreme and multi-faceted challenges in both safety andsecurity. In the present research we have explored aspects of the mining industry, which arerelated to cyber espionage and cyber attack campaigns, in order to understand why the miningindustry has become a target and what threat actors are trying to acquire by attacking miningcompanies. Reliance on mineral resources for economic development, and the need forcountries to take advantage of their own mineral deposits make the mining industry both ageopolitical and an economic target. In the course of the paper we have outlined particularthreats and the geopolitical influence that IT security in the mining industry has to thoroughlyunderstand when defending their ecosystem. Furthermore, in the present contribution, thepossibility of cyber attacks on Iranian mines including copper mines is discussed and Sungunporphyry copper mine located in northwestern Iran is evaluated as a case study. Moreover,essential cyber security measures and approaches are presented to improve cyber defense in themining industry. These methods include Intelligent Mining, risk assessment, applying a firewallfor threat protection, cyber-enabled grids, and protection of economic factors of mining. Theevolution of risk-based research on mining machinery operation is a major area of high researchpotential that now needs to be supplemented. Mineral resources and mining activities have thepotential to unlock economic opportunities and play a vital role in the economic developmentof many countries. Therefore, mines should be equipped with cyber defense strategy.

Economic resources, Cyber attack, Cyber security, Mining industry