Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
7a45fb4a-9f94-4620-8e7b-5b673e8145da
Materials
Associated ID
ea894a55-d0bd-4250-a906-aff2be5992f0
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents a life cycle inventory of raw coal production cradle-to-gate, starting from open-pit coal mining and covering all activities related to raw coal production. However, it does not include coal washing processes, or the production of equipment such as conveyors and mining vehicles, direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions from personnel commuting, or daily office operations during coal production. The dataset, formed by merging data from multiple sources according to national standards such as the "Cleaner Production Standard for Coal Mining and Preparation Industry" (HJ 446-2008), "Emission Standards of Pollutants for the Coal Industry", and "Soil Environmental Quality Standards of the People's Republic of China", represents the average production level in Gansu.
Activity Description
This dataset describes the open-pit mining of raw coal, with the following process steps:
Drilling: Holes are drilled on the mining face of the mining area according to the ore body distribution and mining design, typically using large-scale drilling rigs. The primary purpose of drilling is to prepare channels for blasting operations.
Blasting: Blasting involves filling the drilled holes with explosives and detonating them to fracture the ore or rock. This process produces broken rock fragments, facilitating subsequent loading operations.
Loading: Large excavation equipment (such as electric shovels or hydraulic excavators) is used to load the blasted ore or rock onto transport vehicles. The selection of excavation and loading equipment usually depends on the deposit size and geological conditions.
Crushing: Ore or rock is initially crushed to facilitate subsequent transportation or further processing. Crushing is typically carried out at the mining site or temporary crushing stations, aiming to reduce ore particle size and improve transport efficiency.
Haulage: Haulage refers to the process of transporting ore or waste rock from the mining area to designated locations, usually using large trucks, belt conveyors, or railways. The choice of haulage routes and equipment depends on the mine scale and transportation distance.
Dumping: Dumping is the process of transporting overburden, waste rock, or other non-mineralized materials to waste dumps. Spoil heaps are typically located around the periphery of mines, and their stability and environmental impacts must be considered.
Pollutant Treatment and Disposal: Waste materials, dust, and wastewater generated during open-pit mining operations require proper treatment. Dust is usually suppressed by water sprinkling, while wastewater is treated through sedimentation tanks and chemical processes before discharge, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.
Ecological Restoration and Remediation: Environmental damage caused by mining activities must be addressed through ecological restoration measures, including topsoil reclamation, vegetation restoration, and soil and water conservation. The goal of ecological restoration is to recover the natural ecosystem of the mined area and minimize long-term impacts on the surrounding environment.
Process Description
Gansu Province has certain potential and favorable conditions for coal resource development. The reserves are abundant and widely distributed, mainly found in the Shandan coalfield, Hongshui coalfield, Huating coalfield, An(kou)-Xin(yao) coalfield, Jingyuan coalfield, Yaojie coalfield, Agan coalfield, Tianzhu coalfield, Jiutiao Ling coalfield, and Xidayao coalfield. The coal-bearing strata outcrop area is approximately 47,000 km², accounting for 10.4% of the province's total area. The main coal types in Gansu Province include lignite, long-flame coal, non-caking coal, weakly caking coal, gas coal, fat coal, coking coal, lean coal,贫coal, and anthracite. The raw coal quality has ash content ranging from 8.45% to 23.51% and volatile matter from 7.85% to 47%. 26%, total sulfur 0.23~3.76%, carbon content 73.59~88.4%, and Qnet,ar (gross calorific value on an as-received basis) 5696~7887 kcal/kg.
Time period
2022
2026
Geography
China,Gansu
Geography comment
Gansu's average data is formed by merging data from multiple sources.
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Open-pit mining includes drilling, blasting, loading, crushing, transportation, waste dumping, pollutant treatment and disposal, and ecological restoration and management.