The Experts below are selected from a list of 16845 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Gavin Mark Mudd - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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modelling future copper Ore Grade decline based on a detailed assessment of copper resources and mining
Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2014Co-Authors: Stephen Northey, Gavin Mark Mudd, S H Mohr, Zhehan Weng, Damien GiurcoAbstract:Abstract The concept of “peak oil” has been explOred and debated extensively within the literature. However there has been comparatively little research examining the concept of “peak minerals”, particularly in-depth analyses for individual metals. This paper presents scenarios for mined copper production based upon a detailed assessment of global copper resources and historic mine production. Scenarios for production from major copper deposit types and from individual countries or regions were developed using the Geologic Resources Supply-Demand Model (GeRS-DeMo). These scenarios were extended using cumulative Grade-tonnage data, derived from our resource database, to produce estimates of potential rates of copper Ore Grade decline. The scenarios indicate that there are sufficient identified copper resources to grow mined copper production for at least the next twenty years. The future rate of Ore Grade decline may be less than has historically been the case, as mined Grades are approaching the average resource Grade and there is still significant copper endowment in high Grade Ore bodies. Despite increasing demand for copper as the developing world experiences economic growth, the economic and environmental impacts associated with increased production rates and declining Ore Grades (particularly those relating to energy consumption, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions) will present barriers to the continued expansion of the industry. For these reasons peak mined copper production may well be realised during this century.
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sustainability reporting and the platinum group metals a global mining industry leader
Platinum Metals Review, 2012Co-Authors: Gavin Mark MuddAbstract:Platinum group metals (pgms) are increasingly used in a wide variety of important environmentally-related technologies (for example, catalytic converters), most of which are expected to grow in demand as the world develops. Over the past decade, the global mining industry has embraced the need to incorporate sustainable development into projects and governance, resulting in a major surge in the use of annual sustainability reporting to demonstrate such performance. The majority of global pgms production is in South Africa, and this paper assesses and analyses the sustainability reporting by the pgms sector. The approach to sustainability reporting is discussed, including an assessment of the extent and detail of reporting by pgms companies, as well as examining the data reported and its relationship to key production aspects such as Ore Grade and project scale. By analysing trends in water and energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, especially in terms of per unit pgms production, critical issues such as life cycle costs can be ascertained. Whilst sustainability includes social, economic and environmental aspects, this paper focuses on environmental aspects only. Overall, the pgms sector certainly appears to be a global leader in the breadth and depth of sustainability reporting, with the continuing evolution providing a valuable basis to understand the major issues facing the industry and allow strategic planning for the future.
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the environmental costs of platinum pgm mining and sustainability is the glass half full or half empty
Minerals Engineering, 2010Co-Authors: Bonnie J Glaister, Gavin Mark MuddAbstract:The growing popularity of platinum group metals (or PGMs, including platinum and palladium) for a wide range of applications leads to some interesting issues for mining and sustainability. The uses of PGMs includes catalytic converters for air pollution control in vehicles, growing jewellery use, catalysts for various purposes (especially petroleum and chemicals processing), hydrogen fuel cells, and many others. Given the growing importance of most of these PGM uses in mOre sustainable technologies or in making industrial processes mOre efficient, it is critical to understand the complex sustainability issues which surround PGMs. At present, South Africa is the dominant PGMs producer and holds ∼88% of estimated global resources, with additional production and resources in Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada and the United States. Given the concentrated location of PGM resources, what are the likely trends in PGM mining with respect to environmental sustainability? That is, what are the costs in terms of energy, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, water, land use impacts, social impacts, economic aspects associated with this globally important industry? This paper compiles and analyses a range of data on PGM mining. It synthesizes a unique combination of data which relates typical production aspects such as Ore Grade and scale with sustainability aspects such as greenhouse, energy and water costs. The findings are critical in understanding the debate about the increasing environmental and social costs of some materials and technologies which are considered crucial for sustainable technologies based on PGMs. Overall, the paper represents a valuable insight into the environmental and resource sustainability of the PGM sector.
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gold mining in australia linking historical trends and environmental and resource sustainability
Environmental Science & Policy, 2007Co-Authors: Gavin Mark MuddAbstract:Abstract The mining of gold has been and continues to be an important aspect of Australian industry. Gold mining moved quickly from fossicking and alluvial sources in the 1850's to hard rock mining. This paper presents, arguably for the first time, a detailed historical compilation of Australian gold mining production data. This data is then analysed in the context of sustainability, focussing particularly on mineral resource sustainability and the broader aspects of environmental impacts now commonly reported by some mining companies in annual sustainability performance reports. The key trends which are demonstrated by the data include a long-term decline in Ore Grade, increased open cut mining, substantive increases in tailings and waste rock production, as well as showing the impact of new technologies and economics on available gold resources. The available environmental data on material and energy inputs to and pollutant emissions from gold production is also presented, showing a clear sensitivity to Ore Grade. In terms of sustainability, these relationships raise significant issues such as increasing greenhouse footprint per unit gold produced, potential impacts on energy and water consumption, as well as overall gold resource sustainability. The paper presents a unique case study of the resource and environmental sustainability of the Australian gold mining sector with major implications for sustainability policy and reporting.
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Global trends in gold mining: Towards quantifying environmental and resource sustainability
Resources Policy, 2007Co-Authors: Gavin Mark MuddAbstract:Abstract In recent years, due to public concern over perceived and actual environmental impacts, the global mining industry has been moving towards a mOre sustainable framework. For gold mining, there are a number of fundamental issues with regard to assessing sustainability. Commonly perceived as a finite and non-renewable resource, long-term gold production trends include declining Ore Grades and increasing solid wastes (tailings, waste rock) and open cut mining. Conversely, cOre sustainability issues include water, energy and chemical consumption and pollutant emissions—also known as ‘resource intensity’. It is important to recognise the links between gold production trends and resource intensity, as this is critical for understanding future sustainability challenges. This paper links data sets on historic gold mining production trends with emerging sustainability reporting to estimate resource intensity, demonstrating the sensitivity of Ore Grade for gold production and sustainability. Final judgement of the sustainability of gold mining must take account of the sensitivity of the Ore Grade in the resource intensity of gold production. This has implications for environmental policy and sustainability reporting in the gold mining sector.
Garvin Heath - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear electricity generation systematic review and harmonization
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012Co-Authors: Ethan Warner, Garvin HeathAbstract:A systematic review and harmonization of life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of nuclear electricity generation technologies was performed to determine causes of and, where possible, reduce variability in estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to clarify the state of knowledge and inform decision making. LCA literature indicates that life cycle GHG emissions from nuclear power are a fraction of traditional fossil sources, but the conditions and assumptions under which nuclear power are deployed can have a significant impact on the magnitude of life cycle GHG emissions relative to renewable technologies. Screening 274 references yielded 27 that reported 99 independent estimates of life cycle GHG emissions from light water reactors (LWRs). The published median, interquartile range (IQR), and range for the pool of LWR life cycle GHG emission estimates were 13, 23, and 220 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh), respectively. After harmonizing methods to use consistent gross system boundaries and values for several important system parameters, the same statistics were 12, 17, and 110 g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh, respectively. Harmonization (especially of performance characteristics) clarifies the estimation of central tendency and variability. To explain the remaining variability, several additional, highly influential consequential factors were examinedmOre » using other methods. These factors included the primary source energy mix, uranium Ore Grade, and the selected LCA method. For example, a scenario analysis of future global nuclear development examined the effects of a decreasing global uranium market-average Ore Grade on life cycle GHG emissions. Depending on conditions, median life cycle GHG emissions could be 9 to 110 g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh by 2050.« less
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life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear electricity generation systematic review and harmonization
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012Co-Authors: Ethan Warner, Garvin HeathAbstract:A systematic review and harmonization of life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of nuclear electricity generation technologies was performed to determine causes of and, where possible, reduce variability in estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to clarify the state of knowledge and inform decision making. LCA literature indicates that life cycle GHG emissions from nuclear power are a fraction of traditional fossil sources, but the conditions and assumptions under which nuclear power are deployed can have a significant impact on the magnitude of life cycle GHG emissions relative to renewable technologies. Screening 274 references yielded 27 that reported 99 independent estimates of life cycle GHG emissions from light water reactors (LWRs). The published median, interquartile range (IQR), and range for the pool of LWR life cycle GHG emission estimates were 13, 23, and 220 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt‐hour (g CO‐eq/kWh), respectively. After harmonizing methods to use consistent gross system boundaries and values for several important system parameters, the same statistics were 12, 17, and 110 g CO‐eq/kWh, respectively. Harmonization (especially of performance characteristics) clarifies the estimation of central tendency and variability. To explain the remaining variability, several additional, highly influential consequential factors were examined using other methods. These factors included the primary source energy mix, uranium Ore Grade, and the selected LCA method. For example, a scenario analysis of future global nuclear development examined the effects of a decreasing global uranium market‐average Ore Grade on life cycle GHG emissions. Depending on conditions, median life cycle GHG emissions could be 9 to 110 g CO‐eq/kWh by 2050.
Ethan Warner - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear electricity generation systematic review and harmonization
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012Co-Authors: Ethan Warner, Garvin HeathAbstract:A systematic review and harmonization of life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of nuclear electricity generation technologies was performed to determine causes of and, where possible, reduce variability in estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to clarify the state of knowledge and inform decision making. LCA literature indicates that life cycle GHG emissions from nuclear power are a fraction of traditional fossil sources, but the conditions and assumptions under which nuclear power are deployed can have a significant impact on the magnitude of life cycle GHG emissions relative to renewable technologies. Screening 274 references yielded 27 that reported 99 independent estimates of life cycle GHG emissions from light water reactors (LWRs). The published median, interquartile range (IQR), and range for the pool of LWR life cycle GHG emission estimates were 13, 23, and 220 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh), respectively. After harmonizing methods to use consistent gross system boundaries and values for several important system parameters, the same statistics were 12, 17, and 110 g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh, respectively. Harmonization (especially of performance characteristics) clarifies the estimation of central tendency and variability. To explain the remaining variability, several additional, highly influential consequential factors were examinedmOre » using other methods. These factors included the primary source energy mix, uranium Ore Grade, and the selected LCA method. For example, a scenario analysis of future global nuclear development examined the effects of a decreasing global uranium market-average Ore Grade on life cycle GHG emissions. Depending on conditions, median life cycle GHG emissions could be 9 to 110 g CO{sub 2}-eq/kWh by 2050.« less
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life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear electricity generation systematic review and harmonization
Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012Co-Authors: Ethan Warner, Garvin HeathAbstract:A systematic review and harmonization of life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of nuclear electricity generation technologies was performed to determine causes of and, where possible, reduce variability in estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to clarify the state of knowledge and inform decision making. LCA literature indicates that life cycle GHG emissions from nuclear power are a fraction of traditional fossil sources, but the conditions and assumptions under which nuclear power are deployed can have a significant impact on the magnitude of life cycle GHG emissions relative to renewable technologies. Screening 274 references yielded 27 that reported 99 independent estimates of life cycle GHG emissions from light water reactors (LWRs). The published median, interquartile range (IQR), and range for the pool of LWR life cycle GHG emission estimates were 13, 23, and 220 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt‐hour (g CO‐eq/kWh), respectively. After harmonizing methods to use consistent gross system boundaries and values for several important system parameters, the same statistics were 12, 17, and 110 g CO‐eq/kWh, respectively. Harmonization (especially of performance characteristics) clarifies the estimation of central tendency and variability. To explain the remaining variability, several additional, highly influential consequential factors were examined using other methods. These factors included the primary source energy mix, uranium Ore Grade, and the selected LCA method. For example, a scenario analysis of future global nuclear development examined the effects of a decreasing global uranium market‐average Ore Grade on life cycle GHG emissions. Depending on conditions, median life cycle GHG emissions could be 9 to 110 g CO‐eq/kWh by 2050.
Kristin Vala Ragnarsdottir - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A system dynamics model for platinum group metal supply, market price, depletion of extractable amounts, Ore Grade, recycling and stocks-in-use
Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2016Co-Authors: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup, Kristin Vala RagnarsdottirAbstract:The long term development of world primary extraction, market supply, recycling and extractable amounts of the platinum group metals platinum, palladium and rhodium was assessed. The degree of sustainability was estimated using system dynamics modelling. Compiling estimates from different sources, and considering recent technological advances in deep mining suggests that the Ultimately Recoverable Resource (URR) is about 216,000 ton of platinum group metals down to a mining depth of maximum 5 km, significantly mOre than earlier published estimates. The world supply and production of platinum group metals was calculated using system dynamics methodology to develop the PGM-model for this study. The model combines mining, Ore Grade changes, trade markets, price mechanisms, supply, demand, estimates of stock-in-use, waste, dissipative losses and recycling into a whole world system. The model was run for the period of 1900–2400. The model outputs were successfully tested on historic data for mining rate, Ore Grades and platinum market price during 1900–2014. The model indicates that extraction will reach maximum in the period 2020–2050 and that market supply will peak in 2070–2080. The delay is caused by the effect of recycling. The outputs from the model emphasize the importance of recycling, metal conservation and elimination of dissipative losses in order to secure long term sustainable platinum group metals supply.
Harald Ulrik Sverdrup - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A system dynamics model for platinum group metal supply, market price, depletion of extractable amounts, Ore Grade, recycling and stocks-in-use
Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2016Co-Authors: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup, Kristin Vala RagnarsdottirAbstract:The long term development of world primary extraction, market supply, recycling and extractable amounts of the platinum group metals platinum, palladium and rhodium was assessed. The degree of sustainability was estimated using system dynamics modelling. Compiling estimates from different sources, and considering recent technological advances in deep mining suggests that the Ultimately Recoverable Resource (URR) is about 216,000 ton of platinum group metals down to a mining depth of maximum 5 km, significantly mOre than earlier published estimates. The world supply and production of platinum group metals was calculated using system dynamics methodology to develop the PGM-model for this study. The model combines mining, Ore Grade changes, trade markets, price mechanisms, supply, demand, estimates of stock-in-use, waste, dissipative losses and recycling into a whole world system. The model was run for the period of 1900–2400. The model outputs were successfully tested on historic data for mining rate, Ore Grades and platinum market price during 1900–2014. The model indicates that extraction will reach maximum in the period 2020–2050 and that market supply will peak in 2070–2080. The delay is caused by the effect of recycling. The outputs from the model emphasize the importance of recycling, metal conservation and elimination of dissipative losses in order to secure long term sustainable platinum group metals supply.