Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
f057752a-322f-4008-b689-50398eb9e2ff
Materials
Associated ID
b6a64ac4-779e-48d9-b2f1-555135bf17f0
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents the open-pit mining of vanadium-titanium magnetite ore in China. It includes a life cycle inventory (cradle-to-gate) covering all activities related to vanadium-titanium magnetite ore mining and production, from drilling to the output of iron ore, but excludes the production of drilling rigs, transportation equipment, direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions from personnel travel, and routine office operations during the mining production process. 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)', and is representative of the average production level of open-pit vanadium-titanium magnetite ore mining in China.
Activity Description
This dataset describes open-pit iron ore mining, with the following process flow:
1. Drilling
Drilling is a step in open-pit mining used to prepare for blasting. Drilling machines are typically used to drill a series of holes into the ore body, which will then be filled with explosives. The primary objective of drilling is to ensure that the blasting effectively fractures the ore, facilitating subsequent loading and transportation. Parameters such as drilling depth, hole spacing, and hole diameter must be designed according to the characteristics of the ore body and the mining plan.
2. Blasting
Blasting is one of the most critical steps in open-pit mining. By filling drilled blast holes with explosives (such as emulsion explosives, nitroglycerin-based explosives, etc.) and then detonating them, the ore is fractured into smaller pieces. The effectiveness of blasting directly affects the efficiency of subsequent loading and hauling operations. Blasting operations require precise control over timing, charge quantity, and blasting methods to ensure uniform fragmentation of ore and operational safety.
3. Shoveling
Shoveling is the process of loading broken ore into transport equipment. This operation is typically carried out using machinery such as excavators and loaders. The efficiency of shoveling directly affects ore transportation and the overall economic performance of the mining process. Shoveling operations must consider factors such as ore distribution, equipment operating range, and operational efficiency.
4. Transportation
Transportation is the process of moving excavated ore from the mining area to the processing plant or storage area. Common transportation methods include haul trucks, conveyors, and belt conveyors. The main tasks during transportation are to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of ore, minimizing ore loss and contamination. The selection and layout of transportation equipment should be rationally designed based on factors such as mine topography, ore characteristics, and transport distance.
5. Drainage
During open-pit mining, significant amounts of rainwater, groundwater, or other liquids tend to accumulate in the mining area. Therefore, drainage is a crucial aspect to ensure smooth mining operations. Drainage systems typically include facilities such as ditches, pumping stations, and drainage pipes, designed to quickly remove accumulated water from the mining area, prevent adverse effects on equipment, and eliminate threats to operational safety.
Process Description
Vanadium-titanium magnetite is a complex associated mineral dominated by iron, vanadium, and titanium, accompanied by various valuable elements (such as chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, scandium, gallium, and platinum group elements), with high contents of valuable elements. It is an important industrial mineral raw material with high development and comprehensive utilization value. In nature, vanadium-titanium magnetite primarily forms in mafic and ultramafic rock masses. Common valuable ore minerals in the resulting deposits are mainly titanomagnetite and ilmenite, along with small amounts of magnetite, hematite, and sulfides. Titanomagnetite is a magnetite containing solid solution exsolutions such as ilmenite, pseudobrookite, and magnesioferrite, which can crystallize into ilmenite and magnetite through regional metamorphism. Generally, vanadium-titanium magnetite contains 1%–15% TiO₂ and 0.1%–2% V₂O₅. The chemical composition of ilmenite is FeTiO₃, and ilmenite contains 52% TiO₂. 66%, with Fe2+ being completely isomorphously substitutable by Mg2+ and Mn2+, forming the FeTiO3-MgTiO3 or FeTiO3-MnTiO3 series; when FeO predominates it is called ilmenite, when MgO predominates it is called geikielite, and when MnO predominates it is called pyrophanite. Ilmenite has a Mohs hardness of 5–6, a specific gravity of 4.70–4.78, weak magnetism, and a magnetic susceptibility of 1173.33–224. 56×10-9 m³/kg.
Vanadium-titanium magnetite in China is widely distributed and abundant, with proven reserves of approximately 10 billion tonnes and prospective reserves exceeding 30 billion tonnes. The main deposits are located in the Panxi (Panzhihua-Xichang) region of Sichuan Province and the Chengde region of Hebei Province, with scattered occurrences in Yangxian and Hanzhong regions of Shaanxi Province, Yunyang and Xiangyang regions of Hubei Province, Daixian region of Shanxi Province, Xingning of Guangdong Province, Kashgar and Hami regions of Xinjiang Province, and Chaoyang of Liaoning Province.
Time period
2022
2026
Geography
China
Geography comment
Forming China's average data by merging multiple provincial datasets
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Open-pit mining includes processes such as drilling, blasting, loading, transportation, drainage, environmental protection, and road maintenance.