In the future, oil shale mining conditions will worsen and environmental taxes will be increased. Higher calorific value and more homogeneous material are required for more effective usage of boilers and generator units in power stations and oil plants. The solution for the mining industry is related to the optimal usage of mineral and technological resources, utilizing the best available techniques and modelling and visualization of mining impacts for explaining the changes in technology to the influenced parties. The main challenges for technologies in the future are related to the mining in environmentally or socially sensitive areas. One of the solutions could be utilizing selective mining and backfilling. Related tests have shown good results and show a promising future for sustainable oil shale mining.

The research needed for sustainable mining should be performed in nature, but large-scale tests are complicated. These studies are performed by computer modelling. The main task for modelling is to find suitable criteria and demonstration ways. Modelling is a relatively new approach for planning new mines and analysing abandoned ones. Modelling itself is a convenient way for choosing, selecting and visualising the results, but deciding about optimal modelling methods and software is a complicated task. There are three main tasks of modelling to solve: mining technology, planning and development of mining and impact of mining.