technologyComment of cobalt production (GLO): Cobalt, as a co-product of nickel and copper production, is obtained using a wide range of technologies. The initial life cycle stage covers the mining of the ore through underground or open cast methods. The ore is further processed in beneficiation to produce a concentrate and/or raffinate solution. Metal selection and further concentration is initiated in primary extraction, which may involve calcining, smelting, high pressure leaching, and other processes. The final product is obtained through further refining, which may involve processes such as re-leaching, selective solvent / solution extraction, selective precipitation, electrowinning, and other treatments. Transport is reported separately and consists of only the internal movements of materials / intermediates, and not the movement of final product. Due to its intrinsic value, cobalt has a high recycling rate. However, much of this recycling takes place downstream through the recycling of alloy scrap into new alloy, or goes into the cobalt chemical sector as an intermediate requiring additional refinement. Secondary production, ie production from the recycling of cobalt-containing wastes, is considered in this study in so far as it occurs as part of the participating companies’ production. This was shown to be of very limited significance (less than 1% of cobalt inputs). The secondary materials used for producing cobalt are modelled as entering the system free of environmental burden. technologyComment of natural gas production (CA-AB): Canadian data completed with german data. The uncertainty has been adjusted accordingly. Data used in original data contains no information on technology. technologyComment of natural gas production (DE): Data in environmental report contains no information on technology. technologyComment of natural gas production (RoW): The data describes an average onshore technology for natural gas to 13% out of combined oil gas production. Natural gas is assumed to 20% sour. Leakage in exploitation is estimated at 0.38% and production 0.12%. It is further assumed that about 30% of the produced water is discharged in surface water. Water emissions are differentiated between combined oil and gas production and gas production. technologyComment of natural gas production (RU): The data describes an average onshore technology for natural gas with a share of 4% out of combined oil gas production and 96% from mere natural gas production. Natural gas is assumed to 20% sour. It is assumed that about 30% of the produced water is discharged in surface water. Water emissions are differentiated between combined oil and gas production and gas production. technologyComment of natural gas production (US): US data (NREL) for emissions completed with german data. Emissions from NREL include combined production (petroleumm and gas) and off-shore production. The uncertainty has been adjusted accordingly. Data used in original data contains no information on technology. technologyComment of petroleum refinery operation (CH): Average data for the used technology. technologyComment of primary zinc production from concentrate (RoW): The technological representativeness of this dataset is considered to be high as smelting methods for zinc are consistent in all regions. Refined zinc produced pyro-metallurgically represents less than 5% of global zinc production and less than 2% of this dataset. Electrometallurgical Smelting The main unit processes for electrometallurgical zinc smelting are roasting, leaching, purification, electrolysis, and melting. In both electrometallurgical and pyro-metallurgical zinc production routes, the first step is to remove the sulfur from the concentrate. Roasting or sintering achieves this. The concentrate is heated in a furnace with operating temperature above 900 °C (exothermic, autogenous process) to convert the zinc sulfide to calcine (zinc oxide). Simultaneously, sulfur reacts with oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide, which is subsequently converted to sulfuric acid in acid plants, usually located with zinc-smelting facilities. During the leaching process, the calcine is dissolved in dilute sulfuric acid solution (re-circulated back from the electrolysis cells) to produce aqueous zinc sulfate solution. The iron impurities dissolve as well and are precipitated out as jarosite or goethite in the presence of calcine and possibly ammonia. Jarosite and goethite are usually disposed of in tailing ponds. Adding zinc dust to the zinc sulfate solution facilitates purification. The purification of leachate leads to precipitation of cadmium, copper, and cobalt as metals. In electrolysis, the purified solution is electrolyzed between lead alloy anodes and aluminum cathodes. The high-purity zinc deposited on aluminum cathodes is stripped off, dried, melted, and cast into SHG zinc ingots (99.99 % zinc). Pyro-metallurgical Smelting The pyro-metallurgical smelting process is based on the reduction of zinc and lead oxides into metal with carbon in an imperial smelting furnace. The sinter, along with pre-heated coke, is charged from the top of the furnace and injected from below with pre-heated air. This ensures that temperature in the center of the furnace remains in the range of 1000-1500 °C. The coke is converted to carbon monoxide, and zinc and lead oxides are reduced to metallic zinc and lead. The liquid lead bullion is collected at the bottom of the furnace along with other metal impurities (copper, silver, and gold). Zinc in vapor form is collected from the top of the furnace along with other gases. Zinc vapor is then condensed into liquid zinc. The lead and cadmium impurities in zinc bullion are removed through a distillation process. The imperial smelting process is an energy-intensive process and produces zinc of lower purity than the electrometallurgical process. technologyComment of rare earth oxides production, from rare earth oxide concentrate, 70% REO (CN-SC): This dataset refers to the separation (hydrochloric acid leaching) and refining (metallothermic reduction) process used in order to produce high-purity rare earth oxides (REO) from REO concentrate, 70% beneficiated. ''The concentrate is calcined at temperatures up to 600ºC to oxidize carbonaceous material. Then HCl leaching, alkaline treatment, and second HCl leaching is performed to produce a relatively pure rare earth chloride (95% REO). Hydrochloric acid leaching in Sichuan is capable of separating and recovering the majority of cerium oxide (CeO) in a short process. For this dataset, the entire quantity of Ce (50% cerium dioxide [CeO2]/REO) is assumed to be produced here as CeO2 with a grade of 98% REO. Foreground carbon dioxide CO2 emissions were calculated from chemical reactions of calcining beneficiated ores. Then metallothermic reduction produces the purest rare earth metals (99.99%) and is most common for heavy rare earths. The metals volatilize, are collected, and then condensed at temperatures of 300 to 400°C (Chinese Ministryof Environmental Protection 2009).'' Source: Lee, J. C. K., & Wen, Z. (2017). Rare Earths from Mines to Metals: Comparing Environmental Impacts from China's Main Production Pathways. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(5), 1277-1290. doi:10.1111/jiec.12491 technologyComment of scandium oxide production, from rare earth tailings (CN-NM): See general comment. technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (Europe without Switzerland): The technology level in Europe applied here represents a weighted average of BREF types II (62%), III (29%), IV (9%) refineries; API 35; sulfur content 1.03%. technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (PE): The technology represents BREF type II refinery; API 25; sulfur content 0.51% technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (BR): The technology represents BREF type II refinery; API 25; sulfur content 0.57% technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (ZA): The technology represents a weighted average of BREF types II and III refineries; API 35; sulfur content 0.7% technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (CO): The technology represents a weighted average of BREF types II and IV refineries; API 35; sulfur content 0.56% technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (IN): The technology represents a weighted average of BREF types II and IV refineries; API 35; sulfur content 1.39% technologyComment of sulfur production, petroleum refinery operation (RoW): This dataset represents the prevailing technology level in Europe, this is a weighted average of BREF complexity types II (62%), III (29%), IV (9%) refineries (see BREF document, European Commission, 2015); API 35; sulfur content 1.03%. Reference(s): European Commission (2015) Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document (BREF) for the Refining of Mineral Oil and Gas, Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU Integrated Pollution Prevention and control, accessible online at http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reference/BREF/REF_BREF_2015.pdf, February 2019 technologyComment of synthetic fuel production, from coal, high temperature Fisher-Tropsch operations (ZA): SECUNDA SYNFUEL OPERATIONS: Secunda Synfuels Operations operates the world’s only commercial coal-based synthetic fuels manufacturing facility of its kind, producing synthesis gas (syngas) through coal gasification and natural gas reforming. They make use of their proprietary technology to convert syngas into synthetic fuel components, pipeline gas and chemical feedstock for the downstream production of solvents, polymers, comonomers and other chemicals. Primary internal customers are Sasol Chemicals Operations, Sasol Exploration and Production International and other chemical companies. Carbon is produced for the recarburiser, aluminium, electrode and cathodic production markets. Secunda Synfuels Operations receives coal from five mines in Mpumalanga (see figure attached). After being crushed, the coal is blended to obtain an even quality distribution. Electricity is generated by both steam and gas and used to gasify the coal at a temperature of 1300°C. This produces syngas from which two types of reactor - circulating fluidised bed and Sasol Advanced SynthoTM reactors – produce components for making synthetic fuels as well as a number of downstream chemicals. Gas water and tar oil streams emanating from the gasification process are refined to produce ammonia and various grades of coke respectively. imageUrlTagReplacea79dc0c2-0dda-47ec-94e0-6f076bc8cdb6 SECUNDA CHEMICAL OPERATIONS: The Secunda Chemicals Operations hub forms part of the Southern African Operations and is the consolidation of all the chemical operating facilities in Secunda, along with Site Services activities. The Secunda Chemicals hub produces a diverse range of products that include industrial explosives, fertilisers; polypropylene, ethylene and propylene; solvents (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), ethanol, n-Propanol, iso-propanol, SABUTOL-TM, PROPYLOL-TM, mixed C3 and C4 alcohols, mixed C5 and C6 alcohols, High Purity Ethanol, and Ethyl Acetate) as well as the co-monomers, 1-hexene, 1-pentene and 1-octene and detergent alcohol (SafolTM).