Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Mining

Description

Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Mining addresses sustainable mining issues based on life cycle assessment, providing a thorough guide to implementing LCAs using sustainability metrics. The book details current research on LCA methodologies related to mining, their outcomes, and how to relate sustainable mining concepts in a circular economy. It is an in-depth, foundational reference for developing ideas for technological advancement through designing reduced-emission mining equipment or processes. It includes literature reviews and theoretical concepts of life cycle assessments applied in mining industries, sustainability metrics and problems related to mining and mineral processing industries identified by the life cycle assessment results. This book will aid researchers, students and academics in the field of environmental science, mining engineering and sustainability to see LCA technology outcomes which would be useful for the future development of environmentally-friendly mining processes. Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Mining Copyright Contents Preface List of Abbreviations and Symbols List of Figures List of Tables 1. Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment Definition of Life Cycle Assessment Applications of LCA Use of Environmental Information from LCA in Decision-making Levels of LCA Essential Steps of Life Cycle Assessment Goal and Scope Definition Life Cycle Inventory Analysis Life Cycle Impact Assessment Results Interpretation Advantages and Limitations of LCA Impact Categories Acidification Potential Global Warming Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Smog Creation Potential Eutrophication Potential Human Toxicity Potential Ecotoxicity Potential Particulate Matter Formation 2. Life Cycle Assessment in Mining Industries Introduction Analysis Methodology Goal and Scope Definition in LCA of Mining Life Cycle Inventory Analysis Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods Results Analysis based on Metal Mining Industries LCA in Aluminium Mining LCA in Coal Mining LCA in Copper Mining LCA in Ferroalloy Mining LCA in Gold Mining LCA in Iron Mining LCA in Nickel Mining LCA in Rare-Earth Elements Mining LCA in Stainless Steel Mining LCA in Uranium Mining LCA in Zinc Mining LCA Studies of Other Metals Discussion Conclusion References 3. Life cycle Assessment of Ilmenite and Rutile Production in Australia Introduction Ilmenite–Rutile Mining and Processing Life Cycle Assessment Methodology Goal and Scope Definition Life Cycle Inventory Analysis Life Cycle Impact Assessment Comparative Impact Assessment Results using ILCD Method Comparative Impact Assessment Results from Cumulative Energy Demand Method Sensitivity Analysis of Ilmenite and Rutile Extraction Routes Conclusion References 4. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Uranium Extraction Processes Introduction Uranium Mining Process Sustainability Challenges of Uranium Mining Materials and Method Goal and Scope Definition Life Cycle Inventory Analysis Life Cycle Impact Analysis Open-pit Mining Underground Mining In-situ Leaching Results Interpretation and Discussion Comparative Assessment of Life cycle Assessment Results Comparative Assessment of Results using the Cumulative Energy Demand Method Sensitivity Analysis Conclusion References 5. Life Cycle Assessment of Copper–Gold– Lead–Silver–Zinc Beneficiation Process Introduction Copper-Gold-Lead-Silver-Zinc Beneficiation Process Life Cycle Assessment Results from the Life Cycle Assessment Sensitivity Analysis based on Electricity Mix and Energy Mix Discussion Limitations and Future Recommendations Conclusion References 6. Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Process Heating System Integrated in Mining Process Introduction Case Study of Life Cycle Assessment Case 1: Base Case Case 2: Flat Plate Collector-based System Case 3: Evacuated Tube Collector-based System LCA Results: Impact on Human Health LCA Results: Impact on Ecosystems Quality LCA Results: Impact on Climate Change and Resources LCA Results: Impact based on Damage Categories Discussion Conclusion References Index A B C D E F G H I J L M N O R S T U W Z Backcover