ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF METAL PRODUCTION
Immaculata ShantiLilit Gasparyan Sanya Atif
#1304
Materials Presentation
Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Gonzalez sponsors bill to grow American carbon-free steel production
Such efforts would include applied research on innovative production methods, public-private partnerships to scale-up and commercialize breakthrough low emission technologies, and new tools for quantifying the benefits of advanced steel technologies, according to information provided by Rep. Gonzalez’s office.
Bipartisan legislation offered last week by U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) would stimulate and focus more research and development on breakthrough technologies to reduce America’s carbon footprint in steel production.
-Ripon Advance
China to cut heavy metal emissions by 5% by 2025
Environmental pressures of heavy metal releases from Europe's industry
China has released a draft plan for cutting heavy metal emissions.
+sources
Page 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01
02
03
Table of contents
Title
Introduction
04
05
06
Physical disturbance to landscapes
Land, water, air, and noise pollutions
Safety hazards
07
08
09
Conclusion
Solutions
Thank you
Page 2
Future global demands of metal expected to increase
"Carbon emissions in the steel sector must fall by 75% from today’s levels to limit global warming to within 2 degrees celsius", says Wood Mackenzie in its latest base case report.
extraction and processing are the principal causes of environmental concerns about metal mining. Concerns include:
- Physical disturbance to landscapes
- Land and water pollution
- Air pollution
- Noise pollution
- Safety hazards
Modern metallurgy operations actively strive to mitigate potential environmental consequences of extracting metals. The key to effective mitigation lies in implementing scientific and technological advances that prevent or control undesired environmental impacts. Operations and waste products associated with metal
+sources
Page 3
Open-pit mining site in Norway. Source: Igor Bay, 2017.
Physical disturbance to landscapes
The first step in metal production always involves some form of mining.
pit copper mines, can cover tens of km² and be about 100 m thick. Heap leach piles can cover 0.1 to 1 km² and be about 100 m high. Slag–a glassy by-product of smelting–usually piles up on mining sites and can cover 0.1 to 1 km² and be over 30 m high. These impacts remain on the landscape until the disturbed areas are stabilized and reclaimed for other uses, such as wildlife habitat or recreation areas, after mining has ceased.
The largest physical disturbance at a mine site are the actual mine workings, such as open pits and the associated waste rock disposal areas. Moreover, As the amount of waste rock in open-pit mines is commonly two to three times the amount of ore produced, tremendous volumes of waste rock are removed from the pits and deposited in areas nearby. The impoundments associated with some of the largest mills, such as at open-
+sources
Page 4
Soil poisoning due to heavy metal production.
Toxic air metal pollution in Mexico City.
Heavy metal water pollution in River Thames.
Mining drills produce dangerous noise levels.
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Land Pollution
Noise Pollution
Land subsidence induced by mining can destroy soil structure and change its properties. Erosion of waste rock may lead to concentrations of metals in stream sediments, contaminating soils. These can easily be absorbed by plants and animals, causing detrimental effects on their health.
Acid rock drainage from oxidation of mine waste rock can dissolve toxic metals such as copper, zinc, and silver and thus contaminate streams or migrate into the local groundwater. Additionally, smelting releases toxic arsenic, copper, and zinc into the air which can further contaminate waters.
Smelting releases sulphur dioxide which reacts with atmospheric water vapour to form "acid rain". The acidic conditions that develop can cause respiratory diseases in humans and strip plants of their nutrients. Furthermore, steel production specifically emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
The biggest offender in metal production is the drills used in underground mines, which can produce noise levels of up to 115 dB. This level of noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and sleep disturbances in humans and makes it difficult for animals to use sound for navigation.
+sources
Page 5
32 dead and 6 injured in a thermal accident in Tieling, China
On April 18, 2007, an industrial disaster occurred at the Qinghe Special Steel Corporation factory.
steel at 1,500°C, were spilled and bursted through the windows and door of a room where workers had gathered during a change of shifts, engulfing that room entirely.
A ladle used to transport molten steel separated from the overhead iron rail that connected it to the blast furnace while it was being positioned over a worktable. All 30 tonnes of liquid
More than 15,000 miners killed annually
And that's just the official number of deaths. Most likely, it's many more.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), while mining employs around 1% of the global labour force, it generates 8% of fatal accidents. Common causes include
include cave-ins, inundation or inrush of any substance, fire or explosions, gas outbursts, toxic air quality, thermal accidents, coal dusts, lifting injuries, noise, vibration, and stress.
+sources
Page 6
How can metal industries be more sustainable?
While benefiting global development, the metal industry is a high-risk industry.
01
02
03
Hydrogen instead of carbon
Green smelting
Carbon capture
Lower impact mining techniques (in-situ leaching)
Relocation and isolation of mine waste
04
05
06
Direct treatment of contaminated water
07
08
09
Reusing mining waste
Rehabilitatingmining sites
Electric instead of diesel
+sources
Page 7
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF METAL PRODUCTION
production, a criterion that is increasingly being used to assess new technologies. These new technologies will be particularly important for the high energy-intensive metals such as aluminium and titanium. Furthemore, adoption of renewable energy sources would improve the environmental performance of the copper, zinc, gold, and iron and steel production industries.
The large number of feed streams, by-product streams, waste streams and energy inputs associated with most metal production processes means that the evaluation of both new and existing processes to achieve sustainable metallurgy is often difficult. New technology developments for both existing and alternative metal production processes can be expected to reducethe environmental impacts of metal
Landscapes before and after reclamation
+sources
Page 8
THANK YOU
+sources
Page 9
Environmental Impacts of Metal Production
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Transcript
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF METAL PRODUCTION
Immaculata ShantiLilit Gasparyan Sanya Atif
#1304
Materials Presentation
Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Gonzalez sponsors bill to grow American carbon-free steel production
Such efforts would include applied research on innovative production methods, public-private partnerships to scale-up and commercialize breakthrough low emission technologies, and new tools for quantifying the benefits of advanced steel technologies, according to information provided by Rep. Gonzalez’s office.
Bipartisan legislation offered last week by U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) would stimulate and focus more research and development on breakthrough technologies to reduce America’s carbon footprint in steel production.
-Ripon Advance
China to cut heavy metal emissions by 5% by 2025
Environmental pressures of heavy metal releases from Europe's industry
China has released a draft plan for cutting heavy metal emissions.
+sources
Page 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01
02
03
Table of contents
Title
Introduction
04
05
06
Physical disturbance to landscapes
Land, water, air, and noise pollutions
Safety hazards
07
08
09
Conclusion
Solutions
Thank you
Page 2
Future global demands of metal expected to increase
"Carbon emissions in the steel sector must fall by 75% from today’s levels to limit global warming to within 2 degrees celsius", says Wood Mackenzie in its latest base case report.
extraction and processing are the principal causes of environmental concerns about metal mining. Concerns include:
Modern metallurgy operations actively strive to mitigate potential environmental consequences of extracting metals. The key to effective mitigation lies in implementing scientific and technological advances that prevent or control undesired environmental impacts. Operations and waste products associated with metal
+sources
Page 3
Open-pit mining site in Norway. Source: Igor Bay, 2017.
Physical disturbance to landscapes
The first step in metal production always involves some form of mining.
pit copper mines, can cover tens of km² and be about 100 m thick. Heap leach piles can cover 0.1 to 1 km² and be about 100 m high. Slag–a glassy by-product of smelting–usually piles up on mining sites and can cover 0.1 to 1 km² and be over 30 m high. These impacts remain on the landscape until the disturbed areas are stabilized and reclaimed for other uses, such as wildlife habitat or recreation areas, after mining has ceased.
The largest physical disturbance at a mine site are the actual mine workings, such as open pits and the associated waste rock disposal areas. Moreover, As the amount of waste rock in open-pit mines is commonly two to three times the amount of ore produced, tremendous volumes of waste rock are removed from the pits and deposited in areas nearby. The impoundments associated with some of the largest mills, such as at open-
+sources
Page 4
Soil poisoning due to heavy metal production.
Toxic air metal pollution in Mexico City.
Heavy metal water pollution in River Thames.
Mining drills produce dangerous noise levels.
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Land Pollution
Noise Pollution
Land subsidence induced by mining can destroy soil structure and change its properties. Erosion of waste rock may lead to concentrations of metals in stream sediments, contaminating soils. These can easily be absorbed by plants and animals, causing detrimental effects on their health.
Acid rock drainage from oxidation of mine waste rock can dissolve toxic metals such as copper, zinc, and silver and thus contaminate streams or migrate into the local groundwater. Additionally, smelting releases toxic arsenic, copper, and zinc into the air which can further contaminate waters.
Smelting releases sulphur dioxide which reacts with atmospheric water vapour to form "acid rain". The acidic conditions that develop can cause respiratory diseases in humans and strip plants of their nutrients. Furthermore, steel production specifically emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
The biggest offender in metal production is the drills used in underground mines, which can produce noise levels of up to 115 dB. This level of noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and sleep disturbances in humans and makes it difficult for animals to use sound for navigation.
+sources
Page 5
32 dead and 6 injured in a thermal accident in Tieling, China
On April 18, 2007, an industrial disaster occurred at the Qinghe Special Steel Corporation factory.
steel at 1,500°C, were spilled and bursted through the windows and door of a room where workers had gathered during a change of shifts, engulfing that room entirely.
A ladle used to transport molten steel separated from the overhead iron rail that connected it to the blast furnace while it was being positioned over a worktable. All 30 tonnes of liquid
More than 15,000 miners killed annually
And that's just the official number of deaths. Most likely, it's many more.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), while mining employs around 1% of the global labour force, it generates 8% of fatal accidents. Common causes include
include cave-ins, inundation or inrush of any substance, fire or explosions, gas outbursts, toxic air quality, thermal accidents, coal dusts, lifting injuries, noise, vibration, and stress.
+sources
Page 6
How can metal industries be more sustainable?
While benefiting global development, the metal industry is a high-risk industry.
01
02
03
Hydrogen instead of carbon
Green smelting
Carbon capture
Lower impact mining techniques (in-situ leaching)
Relocation and isolation of mine waste
04
05
06
Direct treatment of contaminated water
07
08
09
Reusing mining waste
Rehabilitatingmining sites
Electric instead of diesel
+sources
Page 7
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF METAL PRODUCTION
production, a criterion that is increasingly being used to assess new technologies. These new technologies will be particularly important for the high energy-intensive metals such as aluminium and titanium. Furthemore, adoption of renewable energy sources would improve the environmental performance of the copper, zinc, gold, and iron and steel production industries.
The large number of feed streams, by-product streams, waste streams and energy inputs associated with most metal production processes means that the evaluation of both new and existing processes to achieve sustainable metallurgy is often difficult. New technology developments for both existing and alternative metal production processes can be expected to reducethe environmental impacts of metal
Landscapes before and after reclamation
+sources
Page 8
THANK YOU
+sources
Page 9