Life cycle inventory for base metal ingots production in Japan including mining and mineral processing processes by cost estimating system database
(1. Department of Materials and Environmental Science, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
2. Department of Technology Management for Innovation, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku,
Tokyo 113-8656, Japan)
2. Department of Technology Management for Innovation, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku,
Tokyo 113-8656, Japan)
Abstract: CO2 emission levels of copper and zinc mines from which Japanese smelters import ore concentrates into Japan, were estimated by using a database called MLED. Eleven copper mines selected from data availability of mine site covered 84% of the total imported concentrates. Adding inventories of sea transportation and smelting processes to mine development process, total CO2 emission level for copper and zinc ingots produced in Japan were calculated. The results show that the emission share of mining and mineral processing processes for each mine is indicated around 30%−70% of total emission for ingots, which implies the importance of including the mining activities to the inventory of upper stream products.
Key words: LCI; LCA; base metal ingots; cost estimating system; mining process