Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
8fb6b39d-112c-4646-ae1b-4666b60371f5
Materials
Associated ID
d22bd039-49e6-4150-a779-4b835269005d
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents underground iron ore mining in Hebei. It covers the life cycle inventory (cradle-to-gate) from drilling to iron ore production, including all activities related to iron ore mining and production, but excluding direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the production of drilling rigs, transport equipment, personnel travel during mining operations, and daily office activities. The dataset was compiled from multiple 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)', and represents the average production level of iron ore mining using the caving method in Hebei.
Activity Description
This dataset describes the iron ore mining using caving method in Hebei, and the process flow is as follows:
1. Preparation phase
Orebody segmentation and drift excavation: According to the geological conditions of the orebody, the orebody is divided into several blocks, with clear boundaries typically defined in both horizontal and vertical directions. The main haulage drifts, ventilation drifts, and mining operation drifts are excavated to facilitate subsequent ore transportation and stope ventilation.
Stope design: A stope is established beneath the orebody, usually formed by drilling and blasting. The design of the stope is critical to ensure that the overlying orebody can naturally cave during mining. Cave Initiation
Orebody Preconditioning: To induce orebody caving, blasting is typically conducted at the lower part of the orebody to create a fractured zone, reducing the overall rock stability and accelerating the caving process. Proper blast design and control are required during this stage to avoid damage to the surrounding rock mass.
Caving Process: Once the support at the upper part of the orebody fails, the orebody naturally caves under gravity and falls into the void area. The caved ore is then collected and processed via transportation systems. By utilizing the orebody's self-weight, caving methods reduce drilling and blasting costs and enable large-scale ore recovery. Ore Transportation and Processing
Ore transportation: The collapsed ore is transported from the stope openings below to the surface or concentrator, usually by ore cars, belt conveyors, and other equipment. Since the ore is naturally caved, its degree of fragmentation typically meets the particle size requirements for mineral processing, eliminating the need for additional crushing.
Ore separation: The ore delivered to the surface enters the mineral processing stage, including procedures such as crushing, grinding, magnetic separation, and flotation. Based on the ore type and grade, further processing and beneficiation are carried out to produce 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 component of block caving or sublevel caving methods. Monitoring systems enable real-time surveillance of parameters such as roof stability and stope pressure, ensuring smooth ore caving operations and preventing stope collapse and personnel injuries.
Stope Stability Maintenance: The success of caving methods is closely linked to stope stability. Precise management of void design, blasting intensity, 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,Hebei
Geography comment
Forming Hebei's 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.