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Gu Y, Yang H, Wu Y, Tuo M, Xu M, Hu G, Zuo T. Regulation Mechanism for Designing Decarbonization Pathways in the Copper Industry Toward Carbon Neutrality. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1518-1530. [PMID: 38151825 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The transformation of the global power structure caused by the carbon neutrality goal will promote copper consumption. It is crucial to explore the decarbonization pathways of the copper industry to help fulfill greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. This study utilized material flow analysis and life cycle assessment methods to investigate 12 different subscenarios based on international trade, circular economy, technology evolution, and environmental market factors. Policy combination scenario is employed to reveal the mechanism of decarbonization. The results show that refined copper consumption in China is expected to increase by 62.3% in 2060 compared to 2020. The GHG emissions of China's copper industry will reach 9.1 million tonnes (Mt) CO2e in 2060, technology evolution and environmental market are crucial for realizing carbon neutrality goal of this industry, accounting for 26.4 and 47.2% of emissions reductions, respectively, between 2020 and 2060. International trade and circular economy play important roles in the high-quality carbon peaking stage; however, imported copper and domestic secondary copper will constitute the basic supply of copper resources in China in the long run, and the comparative advantages of them will gradually weaken. Policy combination scenario can achieve the incentive synergy effect, with GHG reduced to 0.5 Mt CO2e in 2060. The enhanced application of policies such as material substitution and carbon emission trading will further promote industry to achieve net-zero GHG emission. We suggest regulating the industry's structure based on the international systemic circulation pattern and accelerating the construction of a green circular chain in the short term to achieve sustainable copper supply and high-quality carbon peaking. Promoting a high-quality technology development strategy and enhancing the environmental markets are recommended in the long term to achieve carbon neutrality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Gu
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Hongyang Yang
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Mingxuan Tuo
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Ming Xu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangwen Hu
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Tieyong Zuo
- Institute of Circular Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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2
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Gao J, Jia Z. How does green digital finance drive the low-carbon energy transition in China? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:699-712. [PMID: 38017211 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31127-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
In the modern world, green digital financing is believed to be an efficient, resilient, and viable source of funding for crisis conditions and to solve the preceding issues in a timely manner. It is a modern tool of financing mainly introduced by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Following the paths, most economies started considering it to solve their national economic issues. Thus, to fulfill the requirements of the modern world, current research aims to study the driving role of green digital financing on low-carbon energy transition in China. Using the generalized method of moments (GMM) model based on data collected from 2015 to 2020, this research made an effort to determine the empirical nexus between the green digital financing index and the low-carbon energy transition index and to recommend the possible policy implications to the policymakers and other practitioners. Results have shown that a 0.27% rise in green digital financing is observed in the Chinese economy from scratch, and it resulted from a 0.365% efficiency in the low-carbon energy transition in China. Accordingly, the study resulted that the role of green digital finance is clustering in the Chinese renewable energy industry, which impacts both the performance of the Chinese renewable energy industry and the economy. For more resilience, extended efficiency and viable energy transition study suggested the practical implications for the stakeholders to consider for practice. The novelty of the study is its motivation, findings, and solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Gao
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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3
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Peng Y, Ni M, Wang X. Identifying price bubbles in copper market: Evidence from a GSADF test approach. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290983. [PMID: 37930974 PMCID: PMC10627441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper uses the test proposed by Generalized Supremum Augmented Dickey-Fuller to identify whether there are multiple bubbles in copper price. The empirical results show that base on market fundamentals, there are seven bubbles existed from January 1980 to March 2023. Through analyses, the first two bubbles can be explained by the demand from Japan by the industry concentration and persistent supply constraint. The third to sixth bubbles are mainly negatively impacted by the global financial crisis and growing demand of China. The last bubble is caused by the economic recovery from Covid-19. The logit regression has stated that aluminum price, copper production, all metals index and GDP have a positive impact on copper bubbles, while China's copper imports and precious metals price negatively explains copper bubbles. The main contributions are the investigation of the copper price bubbles, its determinants and the different technique of GSADF to detect copper price bubbles. Furthermore, it provides helpful information for those investors to make reasonable investment decisions and thus, avoid potential price risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushan Peng
- School of Business Administration, Shandong Women’s University, Jinan, China
| | - Menglin Ni
- School of Business Administration, Shandong Women’s University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoying Wang
- School of Business Administration, Shandong Women’s University, Jinan, China
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Shirizadeh B, Villavicencio M, Douguet S, Trüby J, Bou Issa C, Seck GS, D'herbemont V, Hache E, Malbec LM, Sabathier J, Venugopal M, Lagrange F, Saunier S, Straus J, Reigstad GA. The impact of methane leakage on the role of natural gas in the European energy transition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5756. [PMID: 37717065 PMCID: PMC10505150 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41527-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Decarbonising energy systems is a prevalent topic in the current literature on climate change mitigation, but the additional climate burden caused by methane emissions along the natural gas value chain is rarely discussed at the system level. Considering a two-basket greenhouse gas neutrality objective (both CO2 and methane), we model cost-optimal European energy transition pathways towards 2050. Our analysis shows that adoption of best available methane abatement technologies can entail an 80% reduction in methane leakage, limiting the additional environmental burden to 8% of direct CO2 emissions (vs. 35% today). We show that, while renewable energy sources are key drivers of climate neutrality, the role of natural gas strongly depends on actions to abate both associated CO2 and methane emissions. Moreover, clean hydrogen (produced mainly from renewables) can replace natural gas in a substantial proportion of its end-uses, satisfying nearly a quarter of final energy demand in a climate-neutral Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrang Shirizadeh
- Deloitte Economic Advisory, 6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte, 92800, Puteaux, France.
- CIRED, 45 bis avenue de La Belle Gabrielle, 94736, Nogent sur Marne Cedex, France.
| | - Manuel Villavicencio
- Deloitte Economic Advisory, 6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte, 92800, Puteaux, France
| | - Sebastien Douguet
- Deloitte Economic Advisory, 6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte, 92800, Puteaux, France
| | - Johannes Trüby
- Deloitte Economic Advisory, 6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte, 92800, Puteaux, France
| | - Charbel Bou Issa
- Deloitte Economic Advisory, 6 Place de La Pyramide Tour Majunga Deloitte, 92800, Puteaux, France
| | - Gondia Sokhna Seck
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau, 92852, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | - Vincent D'herbemont
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau, 92852, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | - Emmanuel Hache
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau, 92852, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | - Louis-Marie Malbec
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau, 92852, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | - Jerome Sabathier
- IFP Energies Nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue Bois Preau, 92852, Rueil-Malmaison, France
| | | | - Fanny Lagrange
- Carbon Limits, C. J. Hambros plass 2, 0164, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Julian Straus
- SINTEF Energy Research, Sem Sælands Vei 11, 7034, Trondheim, Norway
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Nguyen CV, Phan CM, Hoang SA, Yusa SI. Comparison between Cashew-Based and Petrochemical Hydroxyoximes: Insights from Molecular Simulations. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093971. [PMID: 37175380 PMCID: PMC10180277 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Solvent extraction has been ubiquitously used to recover valuable metals from wastes such as spent batteries and electrical boards. With increasing demands for energy transition, there is a critical need to improve the recycling rate of critical metals, including copper. Therefore, the sustainability of reagents is critical for the overall sustainability of the process. Yet, the recycling process relies on functional organic compounds based on the hydroxyoxime group. To date, hydroxyoxime extractants have been produced from petrol-based chemical feedstocks. Recently, natural-based cardanol has been used to produce an alternative hydroxyoxime. The natural-based oxime has been employed to recover valuable metals (Ga, Ni, Co) via a liquid/liquid extraction process. The natural compound has a distinctive structure with 15 carbons in the alkyl tail. In contrast, petrol-based hydroxyoximes have only 12 or fewer carbons. However, the molecular advantages of this natural-based compound over the current petrol-based ones remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation was employed to investigate the effect of extractant hydrocarbon chains on the extraction of copper ions. Two hydroxyoxime extractants with 12 and 15 carbons in the alkyl chain were found to have similar interactions with Cu2+ ions. Yet, a slight molecular binding increase was observed when the carbon chain was increased. In addition, lengthening the carbon chain made the extracting stage easier and the stripping stage harder. The binding would result in a lower pH in the extraction step and a lower pH in the stripping step. The insights from this molecular study would help design the extraction circuit using natural-based hydroxyoxime extractants. A successful application of cashew-based cardanol will improve the environmental benefits of the recycling process. With cashew-producing regions in developing countries, the application also improves these regions' social and economic sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuong V Nguyen
- Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - Chi M Phan
- Discipline of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Son A Hoang
- Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Ha Noi 11355, Vietnam
| | - Shin-Ichi Yusa
- Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, 2167, Shosha, Himeji 671-2280, Japan
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Svobodova K, Owen JR, Kemp D, Moudrý V, Lèbre É, Stringer M, Sovacool BK. Decarbonization, population disruption and resource inventories in the global energy transition. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7674. [PMID: 36522340 PMCID: PMC9755273 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35391-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We develop a novel approach to analysing decarbonisation strategies by linking global resource inventories with demographic systems. Our 'mine-town systems' approach establishes an empirical basis for examining the spatial extent of the transition and demographic effects of changing energy systems. The research highlights an urgent need for targeted macro-level planning as global markets see a decline in thermal coal and a ramp up of other mining commodities. Our findings suggest that ramping up energy transition metals (ETM) could be more disruptive to demographic systems than ramping down coal. The data shows asymmetry in the distribution of risks: mine-town systems within the United States are most sensitive to coal phase-out, while systems in Australia and Canada are most sensitive to ETM phase-in. A complete phase-out of coal could disrupt demographic systems with a minimum of 33.5 million people, and another 115.7 million people if all available ETM projects enter production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Svobodova
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia ,grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha—Suchdol, 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - John R. Owen
- grid.412219.d0000 0001 2284 638XCentre for Development Support, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
| | - Deanna Kemp
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Vítězslav Moudrý
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha—Suchdol, 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - Éléonore Lèbre
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Martin Stringer
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Benjamin K. Sovacool
- grid.12082.390000 0004 1936 7590Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School, Brighton, BN1 9SL UK ,grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University, Boston, MA USA ,grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722Center for Energy Technologies, Department of Business Development and Technology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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7
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Examining the influence of copper recycling on prospective resource supply and carbon emission reduction. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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8
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Chen L, Zhou M, Wang J, Zhang Z, Duan C, Wang X, Zhao S, Bai X, Li Z, Li Z, Fang L. A global meta-analysis of heavy metal(loid)s pollution in soils near copper mines: Evaluation of pollution level and probabilistic health risks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 835:155441. [PMID: 35469881 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid development of the mining industry, the pollution of heavy metal(loid)s in soils near copper (Cu) mining sites is a significant concern worldwide. However, the pollution status and probabilistic health risks of heavy metal(loid)s of soils associated with Cu mines, have rarely been studied on a global scale. In this study, eight heavy metal(loid) concentrations in soil samples taken near 102 Cu mining sites worldwide were obtained through a literature review. Based on this database, the heavy metal(loid) pollution and ecological risk in soils near Cu mines were evaluated. Most of the study sites exceeded the moderately to heavily polluted levels of Cu and Cd; compared to other regions, higher pollution levels were observed at sites in Oman, China, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Soil pollution by Cd, Pb, and Zn at agricultural sites was higher than that in non-agricultural sites. In addition, these heavy metal(loid)s produced a high ecological risk to soils around Cu mining sites in which the contribution of Cd, Cu, and As reached up to 46.5%, 21.7%, and 18.4%, respectively. The mean hazard indices of the eight heavy metal(loid)s were 0.209 and 0.979 for adults and children, respectively. The Monte Carlo simulation further predicted that 1.40% and 29.9% of non-carcinogenic risk values for adults and children, respectively, exceeded the safe level of 1.0. Moreover, 84.5% and 91.0% of the total cancer risk values for adults and children, respectively, exceeded the threshold of 1E-04. Arsenic was the main contributor to non-carcinogenic risk, while Cu had the highest exceedance of carcinogenic risk. Our findings indicate that the control of Cu, Cd, and As should be prioritized because of their high incidence and significant risks in soils near Cu mines. These results provide valuable inputs for policymakers in designing effective strategies for reducing the exposure of heavy metal(loid)s in this area worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation CAS and MWR, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Mingxi Zhou
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jingzhe Wang
- MNR Key Laboratory for Geo-Environmental Monitoring of Great Bay Area, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urban Informatics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Spatial Smart Sensing and Services, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zhiqin Zhang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chengjiao Duan
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation CAS and MWR, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xiangxiang Wang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Shuling Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation CAS and MWR, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xiaohan Bai
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhijie Li
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Agrosphere (IBG-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Zimin Li
- Universit'e catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Earth and Life Institute, Soil Science, Louvain-La-Neuve 1348, Belgium
| | - Linchuan Fang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; State Key Laboratory of soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation CAS and MWR, Yangling 712100, China.
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9
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Verhagen TJ, Cetinay H, van der Voet E, Sprecher B. Transitioning to Low-Carbon Residential Heating: The Impacts of Material-Related Emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8561-8570. [PMID: 35549248 PMCID: PMC9228087 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To achieve climate neutrality, future urban heating systems will need to use a variety of low-carbon heating technologies. The transition toward low-carbon heating technologies necessitates a complete restructuring of the heating system, with significant associated material requirements. However, little research has been done into the quantity and environmental impact of the required materials for this system change. We analyzed the material demand and the environmental impact of the transition toward low-carbon heating in the Netherlands across three scenarios based on the local availability and capacity for sources of low-carbon heat. A wide range of materials are included, covering aggregates, construction materials, metals, plastics, and critical materials. We find that while the Dutch policy goal of reducing GHG emissions by 90% before 2050 can be achieved if only direct emissions from the heating system are considered, this is no longer the case when the cradle-to-gate emissions from the additional materials, especially insulation materials, are taken into account. The implementation of these technologies will require 59-63 megatons of materials in the period of 2021-2050, leading to a maximum reduction of 62%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teun Johannes Verhagen
- Institute
of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2 (Bio-Science Park), 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hale Cetinay
- Institute
of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2 (Bio-Science Park), 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ester van der Voet
- Institute
of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2 (Bio-Science Park), 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Sprecher
- Faculty
of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft, Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands
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Flotation Separation of Chalcopyrite and Talc Using Calcium Ions and Calcium Lignosulfonate as a Combined Depressant. METALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/met11040651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
As a major gangue mineral in sulfide ores, talc is difficult to separate from chalcopyrite in the flotation process due to its natural floatability, which affects the subsequent smelting process. In this study, the effects of calcium ions and calcium lignosulfonate (CLS) as a combination depressant for talc were systematically investigated along with the fundamental mechanisms. The results of our flotation tests showed the talc floating can be effectively depressed via the combination depressant effect of calcium ions and CLS over the pH range of 6–12. Measurements of the adsorption capacity, zeta potential, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) showed an enhancement of the adsorption capacity and adsorption strength of CLS on the talc surface after calcium ions were added. This result indicates that calcium ions adsorbed onto the talc, neutralized the negative charge on the surface of talc, generated the binding site with CLS, and formed the [talc-Ca2+/Ca(OH)+-CLS] system by strong adsorption. Further, the coverage rate of CLS on talc was significantly improved after the addition of calcium ions, as shown in the AFM imaging.
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11
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Evaluating the Transition Towards Post-Carbon Cities: A Literature Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13020567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To achieve the new European targets concerning CO2 emission reduction, the concept of a post-carbon city has been promoted, which is focused on low-energy and low-emission buildings provided with intelligent heating and cooling systems, electric and hybrid cars, and better public transport. This paradigm entails the inclusion of aspects not strictly related to energy exploitation but referring to environmental, social, and economic domains, such as improvement in local energy security, people’s opinion on different energy solutions, economic co-benefits for private users, environmental externalities, and so on. In this domain, it is of particular importance to provide the decision makers with evaluation tools able to consider the complexity of the impacts, thus leading to the choice of the most sustainable solutions. The paper aims to investigate the scientific literature in the context of evaluation frameworks for supporting decision problems related to the energy transition. The review is carried out through the scientific database SCOPUS. The analysis allows for systematizing the contributions according to the main families of evaluation methodologies, discussing to what extent they can be useful in real-world applications. The paper also proposes emerging trends and innovative research lines in the domain of energy planning and urban management. While the energy transition is an important trend, the analysis showed that few studies were conducted on the evaluation of projects, plans, and policies that aim to reach post-carbon targets. The scales of application refer mainly to global or national levels, while few studies have been developed at the district level. Life cycle thinking techniques, such as life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis, were widely used in this research field.
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