Characterisation and Normalisation Factors for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Mined Abiotic Resources Categories in South Africa: The manufacturing of catalytic converter exhaust systems as a case study (10 pp) |
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Authors: | Kerwin Strauss Alan Brent Sibbele Hietkamp |
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Institution: | (1) Kerwin Strauss Environmental Process Solutions Process Technology Centre Division of Manufacturing and Materials Technology CSIR Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA, , ,;(2) Alan C Brent, PhD Chair of Life Cycle Engineering Department of Engineering & Technology Management University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa, , ,;(3) Sibbele Hietkamp Environmental Process Solutions Process Technology Centre Division of Manufacturing and Materials Technology CSIR Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA, , , |
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Abstract: | Goal and Background Current Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) procedures have demonstrated certain limitations in the South African manufacturing
industry. The aim of this paper is to propose new characterisation and normalisation factors for classified mined abiotic
resource depletion categories in the South African context. These factors should reflect the importance of mined resources
as they relate to region-specific resource depletion. The method can also be applied to determine global factors.
Methods The reserve base (as in 2001) of the most commonly produced minerals in South Africa is used as basis to determine characterisation
factors for a non-renewable mineral resources category. The average production of these minerals from 1991 to 2000 is compared
to economically Demonstrated and Demonstrated Marginal Reserves (and not ultimate reserves) to obtain the characterisation
factors in equivalence units, with platinum as the reference mineral. Similarly, for a non-renewable energy resources category,
coal is used in South Africa as equivalent unit as it is the most important fossil fuel for the country. Crude oil and natural
gas resources are currently obtained from reserves elsewhere in the world and characterisation factors are therefore determined
using global resources and production levels. The normalisation factors are based on the total economic reserves of key South
African minerals and world non-renewable energy resources respectively. A case study of the manufacturing of an exhaust system
for a standard sedan is used to compare LCIA results for mined abiotic resource categories that are based on current LCIA
factors and the new South African factors.
Results and Discussion The South African LCIA procedure differs from current methods in that it shows the importance of other mined resources, i.e.
iron ore and crude oil, relative to PGMs and coal for the manufacturing life cycle of the exhaust system. With respect to
PGMs, the current characterisation factors are based on the concentrations of the metals in the ores and the ultimate reserves,
which are erroneous with respect to the actual availability of the mineral resources and the depletion burden placed on these
minerals is consequently too high.
Conclusions The South African LCIA procedure for mined abiotic resources depletion shows the significance of choosing a method, which
is inline with the current situation in the mining industry and its limitations.
Recommendations and Outlook It is proposed to similarly investigate the impacts of the use of other natural resource groups. Water, specifically, must
receive attention in the characterisation phase of LCIAs in South African LCAs. |
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Keywords: | resource depletion catalytic converter exhaust systems manufacturing life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) environmental performance South Africa mined abiotic resources categories |
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