A Life Cycle Assessment study of iron ore mining

Ferreira, Hélio; Leite, Mariângela Garcia Praça

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.140

Cited by 111 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…4). In contrast, compared to other mines, Ferreira [35] revealed that emissions of inhalable compounds (i.e. PM10 and PM2.5) and carcinogenic substances (i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Based on the LCA application, Ditsele [14] observed that emission from diesel use was reflected in the dominance of climate change impact in coal mining industry (23.5 %-75.5 % of total GHGs emissions). This, in turn, Ferreira [35] pointed out that the consumption of electricity and diesel fuel in the mining industry was by far the largest contributor to the climate change impacts. By employing the Greenhouse Gas Protocol-LCA method, the results of this study further showed that carbon emissions from both biogenic source and land transformation represented relatively low emissions (Fig.…”

Section: Greenhouse Gas Protocolmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Based on the cradle-to-gate approach [35], the scope considered all related impacts generated from the mining process (i.e. mineral extraction, production, and transportation of raw materials) as the cradle to the final delivery of crushed limestone rock as the gate.…”

Section: Goals and Scopingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the mineral processing, LCA practitioners have been seeking to explore the answer of how mining can become more environmentally sustainable for many years. Such applications include iron ore mining [35], coal [36], [37], copper [38], [39], aluminum [40], and gold production [41]. Norgate [11] also assessed all environmental impacts of the gold extraction and production with regards to GHG emissions (t CO2 eq./t Au), embodied energy (GJ/t Au), embodied water (t/t Au) and solid waste burden (t/t Au) by using LCA method.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Limestone Quarrying Operations in Thailand

Kittipongvises

2017

Environmental and Climate Technologies

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-Environmental impacts of the mineral extraction have been a public concern. Presently, there is widespread global interest in the area of mining and its sustainability that focused on the need to shift mining industry to a more sustainable framework. The aim of this study was to systematically assess all possible environmental and climate change related impacts of the limestone quarrying operation in Thailand. By considering the life cycle assessment method, the production processes were divided into three phases: raw material extraction, transportation, and comminution. Both IMPACT 2002+ and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol methods were used. Results of IMPACT 2002+ analysis showed that per 1 ton crushed limestone rock production, the total depletion of resource and GHGs emissions were 79.6 MJ and 2.76 kg CO2 eq., respectively. Regarding to the four damage categories, 'resources' and 'climate change' categories were the two greatest environmental impacts of the limestone rock production. Diesel fuel and electricity consumption in the mining processes were the main causes of those impacts. For climate change, the unit of CO2 eq. was expressed to quantify the total GHGs emissions. Estimated result was about 3.13 kg CO2 eq. per ton limestone rock product. The results obtained by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol were also similar to IMPACT 2002+ method. Electrical energy consumption was considered as the main driver of GHGs, accounting for approximately 46.8 % of total fossil fuel CO2 emissions. A final point should be noted that data uncertainties in environmental assessment over the complete life cycle of limestone quarrying operation have to be carefully considered.

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“…4). In contrast, compared to other mines, Ferreira [35] revealed that emissions of inhalable compounds (i.e. PM10 and PM2.5) and carcinogenic substances (i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Greenhouse Gas Protocolmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Goals and Scopingmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Limestone Quarrying Operations in Thailand

Kittipongvises

2017

Environmental and Climate Technologies

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“…The cement production process is very complex including various materials with different properties, pyroprocessing techniques [4,5] and fuel resources such as coal, petroleum, coke, natural gas, fuel oil, biomass, or different types of wastes) [4][5][6][7]. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an environmental method which considers the definition of natural resources consumption and pollutant emissions of a product not only as a production phase but also in initial phases of production and the phases after using this product optionally as waste [8][9][10]. Huntzinger and Eatmon (2009) used LCA to evaluate the environmental impact of traditional Portland cement manufacturing processes the United States [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental and exergetic impacts of cement production: A case study

Shirkhani

Kouchaki-Penchah

Azmoodeh-Mishamandani

2018

Env Prog and Sustain Energy

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Cement manufacture is a considerable industrial activity in terms of its volumes and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This study apprises the environmental impact of the clinker and Portland cement production in Iran, using life cycle impact assessment. Data used in the cement manufacture life cycle inventory are based on site surveys of energy consumption, raw material use, and transportation distances. Emissions were estimated based on U. S. EPA emission factors. Most of these pollutants were belong to kiln, preheater and diesel fuel, respectively. To a comprehensive impact assessment, some impact and damage categories based on CML baseline, Pfister et al 2009, IMPACT 2002+, cumulative exergy demand (CExD), and Eco‐indicator 99 methods were investigated. Environmental hotspots in all categories were detected. Production process was identified as a substantial contributor in most of the categories, such as global warming impact category and damage to human health. Electricity was the other main contributor. It had the highest share in the total of CExD indictor. Iron ore had the enormous contribution in the impact categories of mineral extraction. In this article, water scarcity footprint for cement manufacture was also investigated. It was concluded that diesel is the main impact categories related to water scarcity indicator. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 1901–1907, 2018

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Mining Impacts Assessment Using the LCA Methodology: Case Study of Afema Gold Mine in Ivory Coast

Yao

Belcourt

et al. 2020

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Environmental impact assessment studies are mandatory for major industrial or infrastructure projects in most countries. These studies are usually limited to on‐site impacts during exploitation but do not consider indirect impacts generated off‐site or those concerning other steps of the project, including dismantling. National regulations in various countries have recently begun to include these neglected impacts to obtain a better appreciation of project trade‐offs. Several scientists have highlighted the substantial potential of using the life cycle assessment methodology to increase the level of detail and completeness of environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies. Even if mining activities are known to produce significant local impacts, their consequences outside an extraction site have not yet been well documented. The implementation of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology in the EIA procedure has been carried out in a Au mining project by separating on‐site and off‐site impacts during the entire life cycle of the mine from prospection to site restoration following the end of exploitation. Mining projects occur over large time periods and require diverse materials and processes. The main difficulty of such analysis is the data collection that needs to be extrapolated for some of the activities. Even with these limitations, the Afema case study highlighted the significant share of off‐site impacts (from a spatial perspective) and the major contribution of the exploitation phase of the mine (from a temporal perspective). Operating activities, especially excavation, ore, and waste rock transportation, blasting, ore processing, and tailing treatments, are the main impacts produced during the exploitation phase and are involved in climate change, particulate matter formation, and land destruction. Therefore, this standardized LCA method should be recommended by the regulatory authorities for use in EIA procedures. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:465–479. © 2020 SETAC

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A Life Cycle Assessment study of iron ore mining

Cited by 111 publications

References 16 publications

Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Limestone Quarrying Operations in Thailand

Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Limestone Quarrying Operations in Thailand

Environmental and exergetic impacts of cement production: A case study

Mining Impacts Assessment Using the LCA Methodology: Case Study of Afema Gold Mine in Ivory Coast

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