Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Decarbonized Metal Mining

A life cycle assessment dataset compares the environmental impacts of electrified conventional mining and electrokinetic in situ recovery for copper, cobalt, gold, and rare-earth elements. The analysis, provided in an XLSX file, quantifies trade-offs in greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste generation. The study was authored by Riccardo Sprocati and published on figshare in 2026.

Use Cases

• Model projected annual carbon emissions for copper under different mining scenarios using the provided CO2e/year estimates.
• Compare the solid waste generation potential, such as the 100 Gt of waste avoided for copper, between electrified mining and EK-ISR routes.
• Analyze the energy intensity trade-offs between conventional mining and EK-ISR for the four assessed metals (copper, cobalt, gold, rare-earth elements).
• Assess the shift in environmental burdens from permanent waste storage to temporary land use for renewable energy as detailed in the study's conclusions.

Strengths

• Quantifies specific environmental trade-offs, such as reducing copper's carbon footprint from up to 650 Mt CO2e/year to roughly 36 Mt CO2e/year by 2050.
• Provides a direct comparison of two distinct decarbonized mining routes (electrified conventional and EK-ISR) for four critical metals.
• The dataset is structured in a standard XLSX format, facilitating direct analysis and visualization of the life cycle assessment results.

Limitations

• The dataset is small in file size (934.2 KB), indicating a limited scope focused on summary-level model outputs rather than extensive raw data.
• The underlying model assumptions and specific input parameters for the life cycle assessment are not detailed within the provided description.
• The analysis is forward-looking and model-based, so its accuracy depends on the validity of its projections for future technology and energy systems.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Comparative life cycle assessment modeling study.

Time Range

Projections extend to 2050.

Freshness

Last updated in March 2026.