Environmental impacts and improvement potentials for copper mining and mineral processing operations in China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Mining Engineering
• Industrial Ecology

Background:

• Growing public concern over environmental impacts of copper (Cu) mining and mineral processing.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a crucial tool for identifying environmental hotspots in industrial operations.
• Lack of comprehensive LCA research in China's copper mining sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a robust LCA of two typical Cu mining and mineral processing operations in China.
• To identify key environmental impact factors and stages within the copper mining lifecycle.
• To evaluate the environmental performance of different mining technologies (underground vs. open-pit).

Main Methods:

• Application of globally harmonized LCA methodologies.
• Investigation of two distinct Cu mining and mineral processing operations.
• Sensitivity analysis to determine controlling factors of environmental impact.

Main Results:

• Electricity (38%-74%), diesel (8%-24%), and explosives (4%-22%) were identified as primary environmental impact drivers.
• The mineral processing stage (60%-79%) dominated environmental burdens, followed by mining (17%-39%).
• Global Warming Potential (GWP) was the most significant environmental issue (59%), and underground mining showed better environmental performance.

Conclusions:

• Green electricity adoption can reduce CO2 emissions by 47%-67%.
• Replacing diesel and explosives with cleaner alternatives offers further emission reduction opportunities (6% and 9%, respectively).
• LCA provides a critical framework for improving environmental sustainability in China's copper mining industry.