Life Cycle Assessment Environmental Impact of Gold
Why we need life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold
Gold mining must have the life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold. Gold is a metal that is very important for the economy. the need for gold is increasing rapidly. Many tools and jewelery were served with gold to increase its selling value. Even currency is ideally backed up in gold.
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| life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold |
Gold mining requires a lot of air and also causes water pollution. Anthropogenic activity is the biggest contributor to air pollution (Hoekstra et al. 2011).
The rules regarding the LCA Water Footprint are set at ISO 14046. The term damak water footprint reflects a holistic view of the water footprint volumetric state. What is the method for measuring water footprint using LCA?
Content
- LCA can be used to analyze the water footprint of the gold production process
- Carcinogenic impact of gold production by 57.8%
- The greatest impact on ecosystems comes from freshwater ecotoxicity
- The key to solving this problem is the synergy of energy and air management
- The net production index of industry must be increased
Method of life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold
If an LCA study is conducted, it is necessary to determine the scope of this study in advance. The goal is that the study is not too complicated and can be compared with other studies.
The scope chosen is cradle to gate, that is, starting
- Gold is mined,
- Charged using transportation (assuming 200 km)
- Processed industrially,
- Gold product.
The environmental impact is calculated for each tonne of gold produced.
What impact will be calculated per tonne of gold?
All of these studies will examine the presence of water and water patterns. There are two points that will be examined for its environmental impact, namely the impact on human health and the impact on environmental health
Field data
The data taken by researcher Chen et.al is data from gold processing in China's Qinghai province. Every need for air, energy and energy sources produced will be managed with a mass balance.
Result of life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold
Each land taken is counted in ore units. In one resistant ore there is very little gold content. This gold factory in Qinghai province is capable of producing 1.73 grams of gold from 1 ton of ore. The amount of air lost per 1.73 grams of gold. is 0.16 m3
The final impact of each of these activities is human health and the environment. Human health impacts using the term DALY or Disability-Adjusted Life Year, namely the number of deaths caused by disabilities, premature death, disabling diseases and road injuries.
The effect of carcinogenic substances on human health is 57.8% (7.73x10 ^ -6 DALY). The effect of non-carcinogenic substances on human health is 40.81% (2.35x10 ^ -5 DALY)
Which compounds have the greatest environmental impact?
Gold processing uses a large number of chemical substances which have an impact on the environment. The following are the effects of these chemicals
- Sulfur dioxide, from coal-fired power plants can cause acidification (Acidification)
- Ammonium and copper emissions to water and iron emissions in the soil can cause toxins in clean waters,
- Phosphate, ammonium and nitrogen to water can cause aquatic eutrophication.
- Chomium becomes the largest distributor of impact carcinogens
- Arsenigc being the largest distributor of non-carcinogenic effects
- Water consumption in gold processing plants accounts for 40% of the total disaster impact.
The most influential process
Electricity consumption has an acidifying effect because electricity production is dominated by SOx emission coal.
The production of Sodium Metabisulfite has the greatest impact on clean water toxins. Mining causes the greatest eutrophication impact. The manufacturing process has the greatest impact on air scarcity.
Solutions for the environmental impact of gold production.
Electricity consumption has the greatest environmental impact on gold production. This is because electricity production in China is still dominated by coal fuel. Transfer of fuel from coal to alternative energy (air power and biodiesel).
A reduction in electricity consumption by just 5% can reduce the environmental impact by 3.23%. In detail, each parameter is as follows
- Aquatic eutrophication: -20.23%
- acidification,: -66.64%
- scarcity of air,: -18.16%
- carcinogens,: -17.17%
- non-carcinogenic,: -42.59%
- Freshwater ecotoxicity: -5.17%
- human health,: -27.56%
- ecosystem quality: -5.81%
Conclusion of life cycle assessment environmental impact of gold
Gold is a very important commodity in the world economy. This happens because gold is able to increase one's social status. However, gold mining has a significant environmental impact. One of them is the amount of water lost per 1.73 grams of gold. is 0.16 m3.
- Carcinogen 3.88 × 10−7 case,
- Non-carcinogen cases 1.17 × 10−6,
- Freshwater ecotoxicity 2.35 × 103 PAF m3 d,
- Aquatic eutrophication 1.64 × 10−3 kg PO43− eq
- Acidification 0.21 kg SO2 eq
- Water scarcity 0.16 kg SO2 eq
Electricity consumption has the greatest environmental impact on gold production. This is because electricity production in China is still dominated by coal fuel. Transfer of fuel from coal to alternative energy (hydropower and biodiesel).
A reduction in electricity consumption by just 5% can reduce the environmental impact by 3.23%.
Author: Alfian Soedib
Also read: Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainability Foods
Source: Chen et.al. 2021. Water footprint assessment of gold refining: Case study based on life cycle assessment