Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
0a29ae31-6241-4dca-b8a9-1c478f583c25
Materials
Associated ID
d22bd039-49e6-4150-a779-4b835269005d
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents underground mined iron ore in Jiangxi. It covers the life cycle inventory (cradle-to-gate) from rock drilling to iron ore production, including all activities related to iron ore mining and production, but excluding the production of drilling machines, transportation equipment, personnel travel during mining operations, and direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions from daily office operations. The dataset was compiled from multiple data sources based on national standards such as the 'Manual of Production and Emission Coefficients for the Iron Ore Mining and Processing Industry (0810)', 'Emission standard of pollutants for mining and mineral procressing industry (GB 28661-2012)', 'Cleaning production standard Iron ore mining and mineral processing industry', and 'The norm of the energy consumption per unit product of iron ore dressing(GB31337-2014)', representing the average production level of caving method iron ore mining in Jiangxi.
Activity Description
This dataset describes iron ore mining using the caving method in Jiangxi Province. The process flow is as follows:
1. Preparation Phase
Orebody Division and Tunnel Excavation: Based on the geological conditions of the orebody, it is divided into several blocks, each with clear boundaries in both horizontal and vertical directions. Main transportation tunnels, ventilation tunnels, and mining operation tunnels are excavated to facilitate subsequent ore transportation and stope ventilation.
Void Design: A void is created beneath the orebody, typically formed by drilling and blasting to establish the mining area. The design of the void is critical, as it must ensure that the overlying orebody can collapse naturally during mining. Caving initiation
Orebody preconditioning: To promote orebody caving, drilling and blasting are usually conducted at the lower part of the orebody to create a fractured zone, reducing the overall stability of the rock mass and accelerating the caving process. During this stage, proper blast design and control are required to avoid damaging the surrounding rock.
Caving process: Once the support at the upper part of the orebody fails, the orebody naturally caves under gravity and falls into the mined-out area. The caved ore is collected and processed via transportation systems. The caving method utilizes the orebody's self-weight, reducing drilling and blasting costs and enabling large-scale ore recovery. Ore Transportation and Processing
Ore Transportation: The collapsed ore is transported from the mining chamber below to the surface or to the concentrator, usually by equipment such as ore cars or belt conveyors. Since the ore is naturally broken during caving, its fragmentation generally meets the required particle size for mineral processing, eliminating the need for additional crushing.
Ore Separation: The ore delivered to the surface enters the mineral processing flow, including procedures such as crushing, grinding, magnetic separation, and flotation. Depending on the ore type and grade, further processing and enrichment are carried out to obtain high-grade iron concentrate. Control and Management of the Caving Process
Safety Monitoring: Due to the inherent uncertainty of the caving process, safety monitoring in the mining area is a critical aspect of block caving or sublevel caving methods. Monitoring systems ensure the smooth progression of ore caving by providing real-time surveillance of parameters such as roof stability and stope pressure, thereby preventing cave-ins and accidents causing injuries or fatalities.
Stope Stability Maintenance: The success of caving methods is closely related to stope stability. Precise management of void design, blast intensity control, and ore recovery rate is essential to ensure the safety and efficient operation of the entire mining system.
Process Description
Iron ore is the primary raw material for steel production, and steel is one of the core materials for modern industry and infrastructure. China is the world's largest steel producer and has enormous demand for iron ore. However, China's iron ore resources are characterized by low grade and high impurity content, requiring most iron ore to undergo beneficiation before use. Magnetic separation is the main beneficiation technology for iron ore in China, especially suitable for magnetite and vanadium-titanium magnetite. For non-magnetic or weakly magnetic ores such as hematite, limonite, and siderite, a combination of processes including roasting, gravity separation, high-intensity magnetic separation, and flotation is typically required to improve the yield and grade of iron concentrate.
Time period
2022
2026
Geography
China,Jiangxi
Geography comment
Forming Jiangxi average data through merging data from multiple sources
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Block caving is a large-scale, low-cost mining method commonly used in underground iron ore mining in China, suitable for orebodies with poor self-stability, large dimensions, and great thickness. By allowing the orebody to collapse naturally or through artificial initiation, the broken ore gravitates into the extraction zones, where it is collected and transported to the surface. This method is widely applied in some of China's large ore deposits, particularly suitable for iron ores with relatively low grade and significant mining depth.