Life cycle energy use and CO2 emissions of small-scale gold mining and refining processes in the Philippines

Cenia, Marie Chela B.; Tamayao, Mili-Ann M.; Soriano, Virginia; Gotera, Kristine Mae C.; Custodio, Benette P.

doi:10.1007/s11367-017-1425-5

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Therefore, according to Classen et al ( 2009 ), “it must be assumed that the environmental impacts of gold mining are rather underestimated.” Another shortcoming that all databases have in common is caused by the missing data on the primary gold from ASM. To date, three studies have been identified with LCA data on the gold from ASM in Peru and the Philippines (Cenia et al 2018 ; Kahhat et al 2019 ; Valdivia and Ugaya 2011 ). To close this gap and include these data in common datasets, it is important to collect more data in different regions and, possibly even more difficult, to determine the market share of the gold from small-scale mining as accurately as possible.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling

Fritz

Aichele

Schmidt

2020

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose The gold routes satisfying the global gold supply are mining (74%), recycling of high-value gold (23%), and electronic scraps (3%). Besides its applications in the investment, jewelry, and industrial sector, gold also has a bad image. The gold production in industrial as well as artisanal and small-scale mines creates negative impacts such as resource depletion, extensive chemical use, toxic emissions, high energy consumption, and social concerns that are of great importance. On the other hand, almost all gold is recycled and has historically always been. In common life cycle assessment (LCA) databases, there is no data on recycling of high-value gold available. This article attempts to answer the question what the ecological benefits of this recycling are. Method In this study, we were able to collect process data on the most commonly used high-value gold scrap recycling process, the aqua regia method, from several state-of-the-art German refineries. With this data, life cycle inventories were created and a life cycle model was produced to finally generate life cycle impacts of high-value gold scrap recycling. Results This study contains the corresponding inventories and thus enables other interested parties to use these processes for their own LCA studies. The results show that high-value gold scrap recycling has a considerably lower environmental impact than electronic gold scrap recycling and mining. For example, high-value gold scrap recycling in Germany results in a cumulative energy demand (CED) of 820 MJ and a global warming potential (GWP) of 53 kg-CO2-Eq. per kg gold. In comparison, common datasets indicate CED and GWP levels of nearly 8 GJ and 1 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for electronic scrap recycling and levels of 240 GJ and 16 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for mining. Conclusion The results show that buying gold from precious metal recycling facilities with high technological standards and a reliable origin of the recycling material is about 300 times better than primary production.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling

Fritz

Aichele

Schmidt

2020

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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“…The environmental impacts of gold production by conventional cyanidation have been studied in several life cycle assessments (LCA) for both refractory and free-milling ores (Cenia et al 2018;Chen et al 2018;Norgate and Haque 2012). Gold has a high specific environmental footprint, which arises mainly from the fact that gold concentrations in ores are very low, at ppm level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

Rinne

Elomaa

Seisko

et al. 2021

Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review

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A simulation-based life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the impacts of different cyanide-free chloride processing routes for refractory ores to determine whether one-stage leaching of gold from the ores could be advantageous over chloride leaching after conventional pressure oxidation from an environmental perspective. It was shown that both leaching conditions and the refractoriness of the ore strongly affect the environmental impacts of the process. The global warming potential in the direct leaching route was determined to vary between 7.7-17.0 t CO 2 -eq for 1 kg gold/Au. Prerequisites for the sustainable application of the direct leaching process are suggested.

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“…Metals are important raw materials extracted from the environment. They are found in most products and industries, such as buildings, electronics tools, and pharmaceutical industries (Durucan 2006; Santero and Hendry 2016; Cenia et al 2018). Obtaining metals in the appropriate form requires various steps, often carried out in different locations and with a large range of environmental impacts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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Life cycle energy use and CO2 emissions of small-scale gold mining and refining processes in the Philippines

Cited by 10 publications

References 11 publications

Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling

Environmental impact of high-value gold scrap recycling

Direct Cupric Chloride Leaching of Gold from Refractory Sulfide Ore: Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment

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

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