Utilization of Mineral Resources”

Commissioned by the Center for Environmental Information Science (CEIS) Characterization Factors in the Category of the “Utilization of Mineral Resources” May, 2004 EcoMaterials Center National Institute for Materials Science i Contents 1. Purpose 2. Determining Inventory Items 2.1. Inventory Items for "Utilization of Mineral Resources" 2.2. Stress Factor Categories of “Utilization of Mineral Resources” 2.3. Discussion Related to the Sustainability (Depletion) of Mineral Resources 3. Data Regarding Sustainability of Mineral Resources 3.1. Various Data 3.2. Depletion Data for Each Type of Ore 4. Characterization Method of the Depletion of Resources 4.1. Investigation of Characterization of the Depletion of Stock Resources 5. Handling as Resource Indices ii 1. Purpose When evaluating categories of "mineral resource utilization," environmental aspects such as resource depletion are taken into consideration, and appropriate "inventory" is identified, and given factors that characterize it. One of the major problems encountered when characterizing the depletion of mineral resources which serves as an important index of LCI (Life Cycle Inventory) analysis is, how to use the database. The present investigation looked at various databases that could be used for this purpose and evaluated them in terms of their reliability, ease of acquisition, size of target ores, and so on. In addition, publicly released data on excavation, production, demand, utilization, distribution, etc., were obtained from government statistics or relevant businesses, among other sources. 1 2. Determining Inventory Items 2.1. Inventory Iems for "Utilization of Mineral Resources" 2.1.1. "Resources" as economic activities In the inventory analysis, the use of raw materials is as important as the use of energy, and is an item that has an impact on each subprocess. In the various subprocesses, there are raw materials that have impact as processed materials. Ultimately, their retroactive flow upstream will return them as resources from the earth's environment. In many LCAs, the collection of resources from the earth is employed as the start point of the system. This subsystem, which is called excavation, collection, extraction, etc., exists in the interface of the earth's environment. The transport of excavated, collected materials from the earth environment to the human (economic) sphere is one of the first impacts. In this paper, the first thing that must be considered as an inventory of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), is how these impact items are generated as goods flow that occurs during the process by which these materials are brought into the human economic sphere. Here, the term "resources" will be used to refer particularly to mineral resources, from the following 3 perspectives: Table 2-1 The three different perspectives for “resources” Geological resources Minable (economic) resources Environmental rerources “Geological resources” refers to concepts of classification of deposits, distribution of elements in the earth’s crust, and so on, regardless of whether or not said resources can be extracted, and indicates the physical existence as an objective state. While this concept is limited by human probing ability, ability to make educated guesses for unknown areas, and so on, one can argue about “resources” as relatively objective quantities. In contrast, environmental “resources,” which are referred to with generic terms such as “global resources,” are relatively subjective resource concepts. For example, when referring to “water resources,” the definition of the amount of water of some area can differ depending on who is making the argument and the water resource in question at the time. While there are several important underlying concepts, there are many ambiguities and vagueries in the scientific discussion. Economic (minable) resources are useful materials which can be economically extracted using existing technologies and techniques. There are two important meanings here. The first regards mineralogical resources. Because the extraction of resources depends on economic and technological feasibility, the volume of such resources will depend on changes in technological and economic conditions. The second meaning is that the term does not include non-economic aspects such as slag and wastewater, especially for environmental resources. In these three different resource concepts, the item best suited for LCA inventory analysis is “Materials flow generated during the process of bringing resources into the human/economic sphere.” Therefore, it is appropriate to refer to them as “minable (economic) reosources”. 2 2.1.2. Mineral resources that should be examined as inventory items As mentioned earlier, if we examine the economic aspects of “resources” as inventory items, their definitions will not be clear if they do not correspond exactly with items for economic products. In this country, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications has established the Standard Commodity Classification for Japan and work is being done for standardization. It should be noted here that the Standard Commodity Classification for Japan is contrasted with the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS Code) established by the Customs Cooperative Council (CCC). As definitions of goods such as minerals that are frequently on international markets, they should also be viewed as maintaining international uniformity. When using such product classifications, one should also consider the flow of so-called “bads,” that is, materials (slag) that are not used in economic activities. While there may still be room for debate, an inventory is first put together from a material flow perspective as economic activities. Based on the inventory, excessive input, wastes to be processed or emissions to the environment are to be discussed. Consequently, we examine “resources” here as materials having economic value. The categories of the Standard Commodity Classification for Japan related to resources are listed below. Category 1 refers to the raw materials and energy resources sectors. The classifications also include living things and crops. The sectors that are known as mineral resources include 04 Metallic ores 05 Nonmetallic minerals and rock except coal and petroleum In the energy resource sector, there are 06-1 through 06-3 Coal and coal products 07-1 Crude petroleum and petroleum products and 08-2 Electric power, gas and water. This report will make no further mention about energy-related sectors. 3 Table 1-2 Crude materials and energy resources Section 1 Crude Materials and Energy Sources 01 Live animals 04 Metallic ores 07 Crude petroleum and 01 1 Cattle 04 1 Precious metallic ores petroleum products 01 2 Horses 04 2 Nonferrous metallic ores 07 1 Crude petroleum and 01 3 Sheep 04 3 Ferrous metallic ores related crude natural 01 4 Goats 04 4 Light metallic ores products 01 5 Hogs 04 5 Rare metallic ores 07 2 Petroleum products 01 6 Rabbits (except hares 04 6 Radioactive minerals 07 9 Other crude petroleum and experimental 04 9 Other metallic ores and petroleum products animals) 01 7 Poultry and hatching 05 Nonmetallic minerals and 08 Electric power, gas and poultry eggs rock except coal and water 01 8 Seed cocoons and petroleum 08 1 Electric power silk-worm eggs 05 1 Minerals and rocks for 08 2 Gas 01 9 Other live animals construction materials 08 3 Water (by pipe) 05 2 Minerals and rocks for 02 Crude animal products industrial materials 09 Other crude materials 02 1 Raw hides and skins (except otherwise and energy sources (except fur skins) classified) 09 1 Charcoal 02 2 Fur skins, undressed 05 3 Minerals and rocks for 09 2 Fuel wood 02 3 Feathers and down raw refractory materials 09 9 Crude materials and or crude 05 4 Minerals and rocks for energy sources, n.e.c. 02 4 Aquatic animal pottery and porcelain products materials 02 5 Animal materials used 05 5 Minerals and rocks for in manufacturing drugs fertilizer materials 02 6 Bones, hoofs and horns 05 6 Minerals usable in 02 7 Animal fibres respect of properties 02 9 Other crude animal 05 7 Grinding, abrasives and products, inedible minerals for industrial art 05 8 Clayey minerals (except 03 Crude vegetable products otherwise classified) 03 1 Seeds (except oil 05 9 Other nonmetallic seeds) minerals and rocks (except 03 2 Oil seeds, oil nuts and coal and petroleum) oil kernels 03 3 Propagating materials 06 Coal and coal products (except seeds) 06 1 Coal 03 4 Ornamental plants 06 2 Lignite 03 5 Crude wood materials 06 3 Peat and grass coal (including bamboo) 06 4 Coal products (including 03 6 tabacco, lignite products) unmanufactured 06 9 Other coal and coal 03 7 Rubber, resins and products (including lignite balsam, unprocessed products) 03 8 Sea weeds, unprocessed, inedible 03 9 Other crude vegetable products, inedible The underlined sections indicate items that pertain to mineral resources. 4 2.1.3. Nonmetallic mineral resources that are included in the inventory Table 1-2 also includes half-processed and processed goods. Therefore these goods were removed from the analysis; only those items pertaining to mineral resources were used. With that, let us first take a look at Sector 05, Nonmetallic minerals and rock. On the far left of the table is the standard commodity code. For reference, what is considered to be the corresponding interindustry table code is listed in the second column. However, because the interindustry table code often includes broader concepts, such “higher ranking” concepts are listed in the third column. When the third column corresponds to the second column, then we can conclude that the product code matches the interindustry table code. The fourth column lists the resource names. It is recommended that these names be used as inventory items. Also for reference, typical constituents, uses, etc., are listed. For example, for materials that are used with a special function in mind, there are occassions in which material flow of the product-making stage subsystem is missing in the flow chart, even for materials that are essential for providing these functions.

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