Extended exergy based ecological accounting for the smelting and pressing of nonferrous metals industry in China

As an energy-intensive industry, the smelting and pressing of nonferrous metals industry (SPNFMI) in China expanded rapidly threatening its sustainable development. It is essential to evaluate resource depletion, yields and emissions from the perspective of sustainable resource management. Extended exergy accounting (EEA) and exergy-based indicators were applied to describe the sustainability of the SPNFMI based on the thermodynamics law from 1992 to 2015. The results revealed that notable progress has been made of extended exergy inputs and yields, with technology as the key factor. Exergy equivalent of energy dominated the total inputs and its growth rate exceeded that of Chinese industry. Exergy of materials depended more on the imported than before. Increment of labour and capital were less than that in energy from exergy point. Emissions comprising greenhouse gases (GHGs) and "three wastes" (waste gas, wastewater and waste solid) increased rapidly and the GHGs emissions dwarfed those of "three wastes". Aluminium accounted for the majority of the metal yields and consumption. The per capita consumption increased in China, higher than that in some countries. Bridging thermodynamics and externalities, EEA may estimate effectively the resource consumption and environmental performance of industries, regions or countries in the future.