1
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Gillings MM, Ton R, Harris T, Taylor MP, Griffith SC. Blood lead increases and haemoglobin decreases in urban birds along a soil contamination gradient in a mining city. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024:119236. [PMID: 38810819 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Lead contaminated soil is a persistent global threat to the health of animal populations. Nevertheless, links between soil lead and its adverse effects on exposed wildlife remain poorly understood. Here, we explore local geographic patterns of exposure in urban birds along a gradient of lead contamination in Broken Hill, an Australian mining city. Soil lead concentrations are linked to co-located blood lead measurements in rock pigeons (Columba livia), house sparrows (Passer domesticus), crested pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes) and white-plumed honeyeaters (Lichenostomus ornatus). Median blood lead levels were highest in crested pigeons (59.6 μg/dL), followed by house sparrows (35.2 μg/dL), rock pigeons (35.1 μg/dL), and white-plumed honeyeaters (27.4 μg/dL). Blood lead levels in all species declined away from mining areas, the primary source of lead contamination in Broken Hill. Blood lead increased significantly and at the greatest rate relative to soil lead in the three ground foraging species (crested pigeons, house sparrows, rock pigeons). For these species, soil lead concentrations below 200 mg/kg and 900 mg/kg were needed to maintain a median blood lead concentration under the lower threshold of the subtoxic (20-50 μg/dL) and toxic (≥ 50 μg/dL) effect ranges previously identified for some bird species. We also investigated the effects of lead exposure on blood haemoglobin levels as a general measure of physiological condition in birds exposed to different levels of soil lead contamination. Overall, for every 1 μg/dL increase in blood lead, haemoglobin decreased by 0.11 g/L. The rate of this decrease was not significantly different between species, which supports the measurement of haemoglobin as a robust though insensitive measure of physiological condition in chronically lead exposed birds. Our findings reflect the importance of lead contaminated soil as a widespread source of elevated blood lead and supressed haemoglobin levels in birds inhabiting urbanised and mining impacted environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max M Gillings
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia.
| | - Riccardo Ton
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Tiarne Harris
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Mark P Taylor
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia; Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Centre for Applied Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, 3085, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
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2
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Junker J, Quoss L, Valdez J, Arandjelovic M, Barrie A, Campbell G, Heinicke S, Humle T, Kouakou CY, Kühl HS, Ordaz-Németh I, Pereira HM, Rainer H, Refisch J, Sonter L, Sop T. Threat of mining to African great apes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl0335. [PMID: 38569032 PMCID: PMC10990274 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The rapid growth of clean energy technologies is driving a rising demand for critical minerals. In 2022 at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), seven major economies formed an alliance to enhance the sustainability of mining these essential decarbonization minerals. However, there is a scarcity of studies assessing the threat of mining to global biodiversity. By integrating a global mining dataset with great ape density distribution, we estimated the number of African great apes that spatially coincided with industrial mining projects. We show that up to one-third of Africa's great ape population faces mining-related risks. In West Africa in particular, numerous mining areas overlap with fragmented ape habitats, often in high-density ape regions. For 97% of mining areas, no ape survey data are available, underscoring the importance of increased accessibility to environmental data within the mining sector to facilitate research into the complex interactions between mining, climate, biodiversity, and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Junker
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Re:wild, 500 N Capital of Texas Hwy Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78746, USA
| | - Luise Quoss
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jose Valdez
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Abdulai Barrie
- Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, 55 Wilkinson Road, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Geneviève Campbell
- Re:wild, 500 N Capital of Texas Hwy Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78746, USA
| | - Stefanie Heinicke
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz Association, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tatyana Humle
- Re:wild, 500 N Capital of Texas Hwy Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78746, USA
- Durrell of Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Célestin Y. Kouakou
- Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, BP 150 Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS), 17 Rte de Dabou, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Hjalmar S. Kühl
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History Görlitz, Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
- International Institute Zittau, Technische Universität Dresden, Markt 23, 02763 Zittau, Germany
| | - Isabel Ordaz-Németh
- Re:wild, 500 N Capital of Texas Hwy Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78746, USA
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History Görlitz, Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
| | - Henrique M. Pereira
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Helga Rainer
- Independent consultant, PO Box 4107, 759125 Kampala, Uganda
| | - Johannes Refisch
- Great Apes Survival Partnership, United Nations Environment Programme, P.O. Box 30552, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Laura Sonter
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
- Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - Tenekwetche Sop
- Re:wild, 500 N Capital of Texas Hwy Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78746, USA
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History Görlitz, Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
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3
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Owen JR, Kemp D, Lechner AM, Ang Li Ern M, Lèbre É, Mudd GM, Macklin MG, Saputra MRU, Witra T, Bebbington A. Increasing mine waste will induce land cover change that results in ecological degradation and human displacement. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119691. [PMID: 38064991 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- John R Owen
- Centre for Development Support, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Dr, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa.
| | - Deanna Kemp
- Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Alex M Lechner
- Urban Transformations Hub, Monash University Indonesia, Green Office Park 9, The Breeze, BSD City, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, 15345, Indonesia.
| | - Michelle Ang Li Ern
- Landscape Ecology and Conservation Lab, School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, 43500, Malaysia.
| | - Éléonore Lèbre
- Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Gavin M Mudd
- Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Mark G Macklin
- Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health, School of Geography, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6, 7TS, UK.
| | - Muhamad Risqi U Saputra
- Urban Transformations Hub, Monash University Indonesia, Green Office Park 9, The Breeze, BSD City, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, 15345, Indonesia.
| | - Tahjudil Witra
- Urban Transformations Hub, Monash University Indonesia, Green Office Park 9, The Breeze, BSD City, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, 15345, Indonesia.
| | - Anthony Bebbington
- Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, 950 Main St, Worcester, MA, 01610, USA.
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4
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Simoni MU, Drielsma JA, Ericsson M, Gunn AG, Heiberg S, Heldal TA, Nassar NT, Petavratzi E, Müller DB. Mass-Balance-Consistent Geological Stock Accounting: A New Approach toward Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:971-990. [PMID: 38166114 PMCID: PMC10795188 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Global resource extraction raises concerns about environmental pressures and the security of mineral supply. Strategies to address these concerns depend on robust information on natural resource endowments, and on suitable methods to monitor and model their changes over time. However, current mineral resources and reserves reporting and accounting workflows are poorly suited for addressing mineral depletion or answering questions about the long-term sustainable supply. Our integrative review finds that the lack of a robust theoretical concept and framework for mass-balance (MB)-consistent geological stock accounting hinders systematic industry-government data integration, resource governance, and strategy development. We evaluate the existing literature on geological stock accounting, identify shortcomings of current monitoring of mine production, and outline a conceptual framework for MB-consistent system integration based on material flow analysis (MFA). Our synthesis shows that recent developments in Earth observation, geoinformation management, and sustainability reporting act as catalysts that make MB-consistent geological stock accounting increasingly feasible. We propose first steps for its implementation and anticipate that our perspective as "resource realists" will facilitate the integration of geological and anthropogenic material systems, help secure future mineral supply, and support the global sustainability transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark U. Simoni
- Geological
Survey of Norway, Leiv Eirikssons vei 39, 7040 Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian
University of Science and Technology, Industrial
Ecology Programme, Høgskoleringen
5, NO-7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Magnus Ericsson
- Luleå
University of Technology, Department of Business
Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Andrew G. Gunn
- British
Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, United Kingdom
| | - Sigurd Heiberg
- Petronavit
AS, C/o Heiberg, Stokkahagen
23, 4022 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Tom A. Heldal
- Geological
Survey of Norway, Leiv Eirikssons vei 39, 7040 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Nedal T. Nassar
- U.S.
Geological Survey, National Mineral Information
Center, 12201 Sunrise
Valley Dr., MS 988, Reston, Virginia 20192, United States
| | - Evi Petavratzi
- British
Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel B. Müller
- Norwegian
University of Science and Technology, Industrial
Ecology Programme, Høgskoleringen
5, NO-7034 Trondheim, Norway
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5
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Maus V, Werner TT. Impacts for half of the world's mining areas are undocumented. Nature 2024; 625:26-29. [PMID: 38172358 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-04090-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
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6
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Teo HC, Tan NHL, Zheng Q, Lim AJY, Sreekar R, Chen X, Zhou Y, Sarira TV, De Alban JDT, Tang H, Friess DA, Koh LP. Uncertainties in deforestation emission baseline methodologies and implications for carbon markets. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8277. [PMID: 38092814 PMCID: PMC10719246 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44127-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon credits generated through jurisdictional-scale avoided deforestation projects require accurate estimates of deforestation emission baselines, but there are serious challenges to their robustness. We assessed the variability, accuracy, and uncertainty of baselining methods by applying sensitivity and variable importance analysis on a range of typically-used methods and parameters for 2,794 jurisdictions worldwide. The median jurisdiction's deforestation emission baseline varied by 171% (90% range: 87%-440%) of its mean, with a median forecast error of 0.778 times (90% range: 0.548-3.56) the actual deforestation rate. Moreover, variable importance analysis emphasised the strong influence of the deforestation projection approach. For the median jurisdiction, 68.0% of possible methods (90% range: 61.1%-85.6%) exceeded 15% uncertainty. Tropical and polar biomes exhibited larger uncertainties in carbon estimations. The use of sensitivity analyses, multi-model, and multi-source ensemble approaches could reduce variabilities and biases. These findings provide a roadmap for improving baseline estimations to enhance carbon market integrity and trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoong Chen Teo
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Nicole Hui Li Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qiming Zheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Annabel Jia Yi Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rachakonda Sreekar
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Xiao Chen
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yuchuan Zhou
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tasya Vadya Sarira
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jose Don T De Alban
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hao Tang
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daniel A Friess
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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7
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Williams JM, Thomas SC. High-carbon wood ash biochar for mine tailings restoration: A field assessment of planted tree performance and metals uptake. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:165861. [PMID: 37516177 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Unique properties of biochar render it appealing for revegetating and decontaminating historic, barren, and chemically complex mine tailings. Bottom ash from bioenergy facilities can contain high levels of charcoal residue, and thus qualify as a type of biochar; the wide availability of this material at low cost makes it of particular interest in the context of tailings remediation. Nevertheless, bottom ash is variable and often contains residual toxic metal/loids that could be phytoabsorbed into plant tissues. We implemented a replicated field trial on historic contaminated metal mine tailings in Northern Ontario (Canada) over a range of high‑carbon wood ash biochar (HCWAB) dosages (0-30 t/ha) to evaluate tree and substrate responses. Sapling survivorship and aboveground biomass growth were quantified over a 4-year period; substrate chemical parameters were measured using acid-digestion and ICP-MS, as well as ion exchange resin probes. To assess elemental composition of sapling tissues, we used electron probe microanalysis combined with laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on intact samples across the range of dosages applied. Survival and growth of saplings peaked at mid-range ash dosages of 3-6 t/ha. Similarly, substrate ion availability of P, K, and Zn were stable at lower dosages, but increased above 6 t/ha. The trace amounts of toxic metal/loids of concern measured in wood ash (As, Cd, Cu, and Pb) did not result in significantly increased sapling tissue concentrations at low to moderate dosages, but in some cases tissue contaminant levels were elevated at the highest dosage examined (30 t/ha). Our findings highlight the potential for high‑carbon wood ash biochar to be used for metal mine restoration at low to moderate dosages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine M Williams
- Institute of Forestry and Conservation, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto M5S 3B3, Canada.
| | - Sean C Thomas
- Institute of Forestry and Conservation, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto M5S 3B3, Canada
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8
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Tkachenko N, Tang K, McCarten M, Reece S, Kampmann D, Hickey C, Bayaraa M, Foster P, Layman C, Rossi C, Scott K, Yoken D, Christiaen C, Caldecott B. Global database of cement production assets and upstream suppliers. Sci Data 2023; 10:696. [PMID: 37833339 PMCID: PMC10575953 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02599-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cement producers and their investors are navigating evolving risks and opportunities as the sector's climate and sustainability implications become more prominent. While many companies now disclose greenhouse gas emissions, the majority from carbon-intensive industries appear to delegate emissions to less efficient suppliers. Recognizing this, we underscore the necessity for a globally consolidated asset-level dataset, which acknowledges production inputs provenance. Our approach not only consolidates data from established sources like development banks and governments but innovatively integrates the age of plants and the sourcing patterns of raw materials as two foundational variables of the asset-level data. These variables are instrumental in modeling cement production utilization rates, which in turn, critically influence a company's greenhouse emissions. Our method successfully combines geospatial computer vision and Large Language Modelling techniques to ensure a comprehensive and holistic understanding of global cement production dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya Tkachenko
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK.
- Lloyds Banking Group, Gresham Street, City of London, EC2V 7HN, UK.
- Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1AG, UK.
- The Alan Turing Institute, Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, UK.
| | - Kevin Tang
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Matthew McCarten
- University of Edinburgh Business School, University of Edinburgh, Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9JS, UK
| | - Steven Reece
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - David Kampmann
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Conor Hickey
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- Harvard Business School, Boston, MA 02163, USA
| | - Maral Bayaraa
- Satellite Applications Catapult, Fermi Avenue, Didcot, OX11 0QR, UK
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
| | - Peter Foster
- The Alan Turing Institute, Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, UK
| | - Courtney Layman
- Astraea Earth, Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Cristian Rossi
- UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- Satellite Applications Catapult, Fermi Avenue, Didcot, OX11 0QR, UK
| | - Kimberly Scott
- Astraea Earth, Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Dave Yoken
- Astraea Earth, Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Christophe Christiaen
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
| | - Ben Caldecott
- Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, UK
- UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
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9
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Sonter LJ, Maron M, Bull JW, Giljum S, Luckeneder S, Maus V, McDonald-Madden E, Northey SA, Sánchez LE, Valenta R, Visconti P, Werner TT, Watson JEM. How to fuel an energy transition with ecologically responsible mining. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2307006120. [PMID: 37624732 PMCID: PMC10466501 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307006120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Sonter
- School of the Environment,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
- Sustainable Minerals Institute,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of the Environment,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
| | - Joseph W. Bull
- Department of Biology,The University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Giljum
- Institute for Ecological Economics,Vienna University of Economics and Business,Vienna1020, Austria
| | - Sebastian Luckeneder
- Institute for Ecological Economics,Vienna University of Economics and Business,Vienna1020, Austria
| | - Victor Maus
- Institute for Ecological Economics,Vienna University of Economics and Business,Vienna1020, Austria
- Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability Group, Advancing Systems Analysis, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg2361, Austria
| | - Eve McDonald-Madden
- School of the Environment,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
| | - Stephen A. Northey
- Institute for Sustainable Futures,University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW2007, Australia
| | - Luis E. Sánchez
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering,University of São Paulo, São Paulo05508-220, Brazil
| | - Rick Valenta
- Sustainable Minerals Institute,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
| | - Piero Visconti
- Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation Group,International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis,Laxenburg2361, Austria
| | - Tim T. Werner
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, TheUniversity of Melbourne, Melbourne,VIC3052, Australia
| | - James E. M. Watson
- School of the Environment,The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science,The University of Queensland, Brisbane,QLD4072, Australia
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10
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Bedoya-Perales NS, Escobedo-Pacheco E, Maus D, Neimaier A, Pumi G. Dataset of metals and metalloids in food crops and soils sampled across the mining region of Moquegua in Peru. Sci Data 2023; 10:483. [PMID: 37491548 PMCID: PMC10368736 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02363-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in the accumulation of heavy metals and metal(loid)s (HMM) in areas where agriculture and mining exist side by side. As a contribution to this body of knowledge, we report the first dataset into HMM concentrations in food crops and agricultural soils in Moquegua, which is a typical mining region and contains one of Peru's largest copper deposits. Thanks to its geographic diversity, samples were taken in different agroecological regions at altitudes between 9 and 3,934 m. For food crops, 31 elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. For soils, 23 elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Thus, the dataset includes a total of 13,828 observations from 341 sampling sites. We hope that this dataset will facilitate a wide range of agricultural and food safety studies, as well as serving as a reference for monitoring changes in pollution over time or comparing HMM levels with other farmlands influenced by mining activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Diogo Maus
- Instituto Federal Farroupilha; Alameda Santiago do Chile, 195 - Nossa Sra. das Dores, 97050-685, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Alisson Neimaier
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estatística - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 9500 Bento Gonçalves avenue, 91509-900, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Pumi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estatística - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 9500 Bento Gonçalves avenue, 91509-900, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Jasansky S, Lieber M, Giljum S, Maus V. An open database on global coal and metal mine production. Sci Data 2023; 10:52. [PMID: 36693874 PMCID: PMC9873908 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-01965-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
While the extraction of natural resources has been well documented and analysed at the national level, production trends at the level of individual mines are more difficult to uncover, mainly due to poor availability of mining data with sub-national detail. In this paper, we contribute to filling this gap by presenting an open database on global coal and metal mine production on the level of individual mines. It is based on manually gathered information from more than 1900 freely available reports of mining companies, where every data point is linked to its source document, ensuring full transparency. The database covers 1171 individual mines and reports mine-level production for 80 different materials in the period 2000-2021. Furthermore, also data on mining coordinates, ownership, mineral reserves, mining waste, transportation of mining products, as well as mineral processing capacities (smelters and mineral refineries) and production is included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Jasansky
- grid.15788.330000 0001 1177 4763Vienna University of Economics and Business, Ecological Economics, Vienna, 1020 Austria
| | - Mirko Lieber
- grid.15788.330000 0001 1177 4763Vienna University of Economics and Business, Ecological Economics, Vienna, 1020 Austria
| | - Stefan Giljum
- grid.15788.330000 0001 1177 4763Vienna University of Economics and Business, Ecological Economics, Vienna, 1020 Austria
| | - Victor Maus
- grid.15788.330000 0001 1177 4763Vienna University of Economics and Business, Ecological Economics, Vienna, 1020 Austria ,grid.75276.310000 0001 1955 9478International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Advancing Systems Analysis Program, Laxenburg, 2361 Austria
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Cabernard L, Pfister S. Hotspots of Mining-Related Biodiversity Loss in Global Supply Chains and the Potential for Reduction through Renewable Electricity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16357-16368. [PMID: 36279569 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04003] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Anticipated infrastructure growth and energy transition may exacerbate biodiversity loss through increased demand for mining products. This study uses an enhanced multiregional input-output database (REX, Resolved EXIOBASE) and supply chain impact mapping (SCIM) method to assess global biodiversity loss associated with mining-related land use. We identify hotspots in the supply chain of mining products, compare the impact of fossil and renewable electricity, and estimate the share of mining in total global impacts. We found that half of the global mining-related biodiversity loss occurs in Indonesia, Australia, and New Caledonia. Major international trade flows of embodied biodiversity loss involve Indonesia's coal exports to China and India, New Caledonia's nickel exports to Japan and Australia, and Australia's iron and bauxite exports to China. Key end-consumers include China's growing infrastructure and the EU's and USA's household consumption. Electricity generation accounted for 10% of global mining-related biodiversity loss in 2014. The impact of coal-fired electricity was 10 times higher than that of renewables per unit of electricity generated. Globally, mining contributes to less than 1% of the total land use-related biodiversity loss, which is dominated by agriculture. Our results provide transparency in sourcing more sustainable mining products and underline synergies in fostering renewables to meet local biodiversity and global climate targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Cabernard
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ecological Systems Design, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, John-von-Neumann-Weg 9, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Humanities, Social, and Political Sciences, Institute of Science, Technology, and Policy (ISTP), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 41, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Pfister
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ecological Systems Design, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, John-von-Neumann-Weg 9, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Humanities, Social, and Political Sciences, Institute of Science, Technology, and Policy (ISTP), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 41, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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