Sustainability in the metallic minerals industry: The imperative for carbon accounting - insights from firm-level analysis in China

This paper presents an in-depth exploration of critical factors influencing sustainability within China's metallic resource mining sector, examining 100 publicly listed companies within the sector on China's stock exchanges. Using the CS-ARDL technique, the study finds that carbon accounting positively impacts energy expenditure reduction by enhancing transparency on pollution, optimizing resource efficiency, incentivizing energy-efficient technology adoption, and improving market access. Additionally, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development significantly lowers energy costs in both the short (0.26%) and long term (0.48%) by enabling real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, automation, and data-driven decision-making. Crucially, Research and Development (R&D) investments reduce energy expenses, with a 1% increase resulting in a 0.16% short-term and 0.36% long-term reduction. Enhanced stock prices correlate with increased energy expenditure, and boosting employment efficiency reduces energy costs. These findings underscore the importance of ICT development, innovation, and comprehensive policy measures in advancing sustainability within China's metallic resource mining companies, aligning with evolving sustainability goals.