Industrial Ecology Framework for Achieving Cleaner Production in the Mining and Minerals Industry

Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006) 299e304 www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro

Industrial ecology framework for achieving cleaner production in the mining and minerals industry

Arun J. Basu a,*, Dirk J.A. van Zyl b

a Mining and Ventilation, M&I Heat Transfer Products Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, L5N6H6, Canada b Mining Life Cycle Center, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA

Received 16 June 2004; received in revised form 30 September 2004; accepted 1 October 2004 Available online 01 December 2005

Abstract

Industrial ecology (IE) is an emerging framework adopted in the manufacturing, construction, and process industries to provide innovative solutions in strategic planning, leading to cleaner operation and production. An IE framework integrates a large number of processes, economic constraints, and environmental, health and safety considerations for optimized resource utilization. This paper provides a review of environmental management practices in the mining and minerals industry, emphasizing two concepts: IE and cleaner production. The mining and minerals industry provides primary materials for industrial activities; as such, it is an important component in the ‘‘industrial ecosystem.’’ This industry is subject to very stringent social and environmental scrutiny, while providing society with required natural resources to meet essential sustainable development requirements. The implementation of an IE framework in the sector will contribute to sustainable development. Ó 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords: Sustainable development; Industrial ecology; Cleaner production; Pollution prevention; Waste minimization; Mining operation; Mineral processing

1. Introduction sustainable development (SD) in the context of the mining and minerals industry. Sustainable development Industrial ecology (IE) is an emerging field, which and the mining and minerals industry has been the focus covers the study of physical, chemical, and biological of recent academic and industrial research [2], especially interactions and interrelationships both within and the work performed as part of the Mining, Minerals and between industrial and ecological systems [1]. Imple- Sustainable Development (MMSD) project [3]. There menting an IE framework incorporates the strategy of have been numerous other recent publications on this cleaner production and pollution prevention in in- topic which focus on the mining and minerals industry dustrial activities. The application of IE principles to specifically, including two compendiums of conference mining and mineral processing is therefore a logical step. proceedings [4,5]. However, to achieve SD, the highest This framework also promotes understanding of the goal, at the global level, a strategic plan for implement- impacts of industrial systems on their environment. ing effective policies for cleaner production and pollu- This framework paper addresses two major concepts: tion prevention at the corporate and operational levels is (1) IE, and (2) cleaner production for achieving essential. Such policies must emphasize waste minimization, recycling, pollution control, and waste disposal activities at the local (operational/site) level. IE provides * Corresponding author. a framework for synthesizing these concepts at various E-mail address: [email protected] (A.J. Basu). levels to improve operational efficiencies and reduce the

0959-6526/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.10.008 300 A.J. Basu, D.J.A. van Zyl / Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006) 299e304 negative impacts of industrial activities on the ecological rial, to product, to waste product, and to ultimate system. disposal. Factors to be optimized include resources, This paper presents a broad framework to implement energy and capital.’’ IE processes in the mining and mineral processing Both definitions emphasize the interrelationships industries at the global/corporate level. It strives to between natural and industrial systems and the necessity clarify the relationships between IE, cleaner production to limit environmental impacts by balancing input, and pollution prevention. In order to contribute to output and ecosystem capacity. This concept can be sustainable development, the industry must successfully accepted at the global/corporate level. However, it can implement these activities at the operational level; much also be applied at the local/operational level with the of this already occurs. The next section provides a number aim of optimizing resources, energy and capital. of definitions; this is followed by sections on the proposed Next, the concept of cleaner production (CP) is global framework, and cleaner production and pollution introduced. CP or CP terminology was introduced by prevention. the UNEP [9]. CP is an internationally-accepted term describing processes emphasizing reductions in negative environmental impacts from processes, products, and 2. Definitions services, and the implementation of improved management strategies, methods, and tools [10]. In North This section of the paper provides a selection of America, the term Pollution Prevention (P2) is used definitions of industrial ecology and cleaner production. interchangeably with CP. P2 is similar to CP but tends There is no single definition of industrial ecology (IE) to be applied almost exclusively to manufacturing that is universally accepted; a number of definitions are processes. CP is therefore more universally acceptable available in the IE compendium [1]. However, the two and applicable to industrial processes in general. The most authoritative definitions [6] are introduced here for UNEP definition of CP [9] is as follows: further discussion. They are as follows: According to Tibbs [7]: ‘‘.the continuous application of an integrated pre- ventive environmental strategy to processes, products, ‘‘The aim of industrial ecology is to interpret and adapt and services to increase overall efficiency, and reduce an understanding of the natural system and apply it to risks to humans and the environment. Cleaner Pro- the design of the manmade system, in order to achieve duction can be applied to the processes used in any a pattern of industrialization that is not only more industry, to products themselves and to various services efficient, but that is intrinsically adjusted to the provided in society.’’ tolerances and characteristics of the natural system. The emphasis is on forms of technology that work with The mining and mineral industry includes many natural systems, not against them. Applied industrial production processes and services. The relevant UNEP ecology is an integrated management and technical definitions [9] are as follows: program including: ‘‘For production processes, Cleaner Production re- The creation of industrial ecosystem sults from one or a combination of conserving raw Balancing industrial input and output to natural materials, water and energy; eliminating toxic and ecosystem capacity dangerous raw materials; and reducing the quantity Dematerialization of industrial output and toxicity of all emissions and wastes at source Improving the metabolic pathways of industrial during the production process.’’ processes and materials use ‘‘For services, Cleaner Production implies incorpo- Systematic patterns of energy use rating environmental concerns into designing and Policy alignment with a long-term perspective of delivering services.’’ industrial ecosystem evolution.’’ A definition of P2 is also included for completion. Graedel and Allenby [8] define IE as: Moreover, this definition is applicable to mining equipment manufacturers as P2 emphasis is on the ‘‘. the means by which humanity can deliberately and manufacturing process. The definition is provided in the rationally approach and maintain a desirable carrying US CFR 42 [10] as part of the US Pollution Prevention capacity, given continued economic, cultural and Act of 1990: technological evolution. The concept requires that an industrial system be viewed not in isolation from its ‘‘The term ‘‘source reduction’’ [or pollution prevention] surrounding systems, but in concert with them. It is means any practice which (i) reduces the amount of a system view in which one seeks to optimize the total any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant materials cycle from virgin material, to finished mate- entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the A.J. Basu, D.J.A. van Zyl / Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006) 299e304 301 environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to The Staircase of Concepts recycling, treatment, or disposal; and (ii) reduces the Sustainable hazards to public health and the environment associated Scope Development and Industrial Ecology with the release of such substances, pollutants, or Results contaminants. The term includes equipment or technol- Cleaner Production ogy modifications, process or procedure modifications, Pollution Prevention reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of raw materials, and improvements in housekeeping, Waste Minimization maintenance, training, or inventory control. The term Recycling Environmental

‘‘source reduction’’ does not include any practice which Pollution Control Management Systems alters the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics Waste Disposal or the volume of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant through a process or activity which itself is not integral to and necessary for the production of Time and Work a product or the providing of a service.’’ Fig. 1. The staircase of concepts for environmental management In addition, the EPA ‘‘Pollution Prevention Direc- systems (after Hamner [6]). tive’’ defines P2 [11] as: . ‘‘ the use of materials, processes, or practices that and tasks. This hierarchical structure is illustrated in reduce or eliminate the creation of pollutants or wastes Fig. 2. at the source. It includes practices that reduce the use of The relationship shown in Fig. 2 provides a mecha- hazardous materials, energy, water, or other resources nism to apply local/operational activities at the global and practices that protect natural resources through level using a bottomeup structure. This structure conservation or more efficient use.’’ positions IE as a delivery tool for SD goals.1 The SD These definitions are used in this paper as a basis for goals can be operationalized through an IE framework, recommending implementation of an IE framework for which would be used for developing relevant CP and mining and mineral processing. The SD concept in- P2 strategies at the corporate or organizational level troduced earlier is well understood in the mining and for effective decision-making. Waste minimization and mineral industry [2,3]. Other concepts such as waste recycling are mainly planning activities at the opera- minimization, recycling, pollution control, and waste tional level, which could be integrated into both long- disposal are now well established and implemented at and short-term planning. Pollution control and waste operational levels. disposal are part of production activities at the operational level satisfying the strategies and policies of CP and P2 using the IE Framework at a top level. 3. Integrating the concepts IE and CP/P2 concepts are emphasized in this paper for implementation in the mining industry. These The aim of this section is to synthesize the concepts of operational level concepts are quite commonly used, CP and P2 from the local/operational level to the global/ incorporated into a strategic mine plan, short-term societal concept of SD by strategy and policy imple- production plan of a mining operation, and operational mentation at the global/corporate organizational level plan of a mineral processing plant. However, key to the through the IE framework. This will provide a platform overall success of meeting the SD goals as corporate for systems-based integration of various contributing objectives is performing the operational activities activities and processes. identified in CP or P2 strategies and policies. Hamner [6] refers to the relationship among key environmental management practice (EMP) termino- 4. Implementing industrial ecology in the mining and logy (SD, IE, CP, P2, etc.) as a ‘‘staircase’’ of concepts, mineral industry depicted in Fig. 1. The lower terms in the staircase are subsets of the higher terms. The components of The concept of ‘‘industrial metabolism’’, developed environmental management systems vary for each item by Robert Ayers [12] in 1989, is a system by which based on the specific requirements of implementing the industry uses materials and energy flow and then concepts at the respective steps of the ‘‘staircase’’. dissipates spent and unused products as wastes. Using These concepts can also be divided into three a methodical approach of recording material and energy levels: global/macro-scale, corporate/firm-wide, and flow in an industrial system and by performing mass operational. In order to obtain a hierarchical structure of these concepts, however, the staircase model of Hamner [6] was combined with goal, strategy, methods, 1 This is in line with the idea that IE is the science of SD. 302 A.J. Basu, D.J.A. van Zyl / Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006) 299e304

show trends, scales, and the relations of materials Global Sustainable Development Goal or consumed, emitted, dissipated, and discarded [16]. Macro Developing a set of relevant indicators to measure Industrial Ecology Framework Level sustainable development would be the first step for Corporate / Strategy establishing a performance measurement system [5,17]. Cleaner Production Organization & Fig. 3 shows the proposed IE framework that could Pollution Prevention Level Policy be implemented for developing CP and P2 strategies and policies at the corporate/organization level for guidance Waste Minimization Planning at the operational level. This framework would also Operational Recycling or facilitate good governance through integrated decision- Local/Site making. Level Pollution Control Production Waste Disposal 5. Cleaner production (CP) and pollution prevention (P2) Fig. 2. A hierarchical structure showing the relationships of EMP concepts at various levels. Cleaner production (CP) and pollution prevention (P2) are used here interchangeably. CP, a subset of IE balances, one could identify inefficient processes or (as shown in Fig. 3), promotes growth with minimal products and their negative impacts on an ecosystem. environmental impact under present technological Frosch and Gallopoulos [13] introduced the concept of limits. CP strategies should be developed at the ‘‘industrial ecosystem’’, from which the term ‘‘industrial corporate/organizational level, which would help de- ecology’’ evolved. A detailed review of the development velop action plans for its subsets: waste minimization, and implementation of industrial ecology is beyond the recycling, pollution control, and waste disposal at the scope of this paper but in general, the field includes production level. CP is a dynamic process, which strives studies of the following: for continuous improvement, incorporating state-of-the- art engineering design and other technical and financial Materials flows; capabilities. The UNEP international declaration on CP Life cycle analyses of products; including recycling, [18] has over 1000 signatories, including national remanufacturing, etc.; governments, companies, business associations, NGOs, Energy use and efficiency, renewable energy; academic institutes and societies, and international Green house gas emissions; agencies. Grand cycles of nitrogen, carbon, etc.; and CP strategies could be starting points for introducing Earth systems engineering. corporate or organizational (e.g., government) level governance schemes for mining and mineral processing Research projects are ongoing in many of these operations striving to achieve pollution prevention and topical areas in a variety of fields. Mining and mineral processing-related research is also ongoing, especially in the areas of materials flows [14] and life cycle assessments [15]. Sustainable Development (SD) The definitions introduced in the earlier section Sustainable Performance Management emphasize that an industrial system cannot be seen in isolation from its surroundings, which is the most Environmental & Economic Indicators Social Indicators important reason for implementing an IE framework at a mining or mineral processing operation. Mining Social Optimized Resources, Energy, & Capital and mineral processing operations are multidisciplinary Governance and demand complex interactions between natural and industrial systems. Industrial System Industrial There are three factors of IE that must be optimized Analysis Ecology [8]: resources, energy, and capital. A major IE objective (Mining, Quarrying Framework and Mineral is to optimize these components. The mining and Material Processing) Energy minerals industry is a resource-based industry, and Flow Flow Industrial demands extensive use of energy and capital. Therefore, Governance this industry is a prime candidate for IE implementa- Cleaner Production (CP)/Pollution Prevention (P2) (Planning and tion. This requires implementation of a performance Production) management system, most commonly referred to as Fig. 3. Industrial ecology framework implementation in the mining ‘‘environmental performance’’, which has the ability to and minerals industry. A.J. Basu, D.J.A. van Zyl / Journal of Cleaner Production 14 (2006) 299e304 303 waste minimization goals. Hilson and Murck [19] presented a review of progress toward pollution pre- Material Flow and Energy Industrial Ecology (IE) Flow Input Data Framework vention and waste minimization in the North American gold mining industry. This progress was measured at the Corporate/Organization Cleaner Production (CP) and operational or site level with respect to cyanide level strategic planning treatment and acid drainage. In terms of documenta- Pollution Prevention (P2) (Industrial Governance) tion, a good example of CP implementation for mining in mineral industry is the ‘‘Best Practice Environmental Operational level Management for Mining Series’’, published by Envi- Waste Recycling Minimization long-term planning ronment Australia [20]. The key management elements for a CP program identified in this document are as follows: Operational level short- Pollution Waste term planning and control Disposal production activities Corporate commitment; Integrating environmental management systems Fig. 4. Cleaner production (CP) at the corporate and operational with general corporate management systems; levels. 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