Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
a2c0c006-3d73-4d01-8e30-7bc88476d7a2
Materials
Associated ID
fc66d041-0f7a-4e50-8c69-f17bc805983f
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset represents the underground mining of iron ore in China. It provides a life cycle inventory (cradle-to-gate) covering all activities associated with iron ore mining and production, starting from drilling and ending with iron ore output, but excluding the direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the production of drilling machines, transportation equipment, personnel commuting, and daily office operations during the mining production process. The dataset was compiled from multiple data sources based on national standards including 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 iron ore mined by the cut-and-fill method in China.
Activity Description
This dataset describes the iron ore mining in China using the filling method. The process flow is as follows:
1. Preparation Phase
Drift Development: Firstly, main transportation and ventilation drifts are excavated at the lower part of the ore body to provide access for subsequent mining operations. Excavation typically starts from the bottom of the ore body and progresses upward layer by layer.
Mining Area Division: Based on the geological conditions of the ore body, it is divided into several horizontal layers for step-by-step mining. The thickness of each layer depends on the ore body thickness and stope stability, typically ranging from 10 to 30 meters.
2. Section Mining
Ore Fragmentation: The ore body is fragmented using drilling and blasting techniques, and the ore is removed from the stope and transported to the surface mineral processing plant for treatment. After fragmentation, the ore is conveyed via haulage drifts to either surface or underground processing facilities.
Ore Transport: Ore is transported to the processing plant for treatment using mine cars, belt conveyors, or other mechanized transport equipment.
3. Backfilling of Goaf
Backfill Materials: Commonly used materials include tailings, waste rock, cement, or paste fill. These materials are transported via pipelines to the goaf and evenly fill the void. For areas requiring higher stability, cemented backfill materials, such as mixtures of cement or slag with tailings, are typically used.
Backfill Methods: Backfilling can be implemented using either total tailings cemented fill or waste rock fill. After backfilling, the structural stability of the stope is ensured, preventing surface subsidence or collapse of the goaf.
4. Upper Orebody Extraction
Stepwise Advancement: Once backfilling of the lower goaf is completed, mining of the upper orebody proceeds, advancing progressively upward to ensure safety and stability of the mine stope.
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
Geography comment
Forming China's average data through data integration from multiple sources
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Cut-and-fill mining is an efficient and safe underground mining method widely used in the underground extraction of rich iron ore deposits, particularly for ore bodies with high grade (iron content greater than 40%) and mines with associated or co-existing ores. This method involves backfilling the voids created after ore extraction with tailings or waste rock, ensuring mine stability and reducing surface subsidence and environmental damage. It is especially suitable for both new and existing underground mines, and is commonly applied in environmentally sensitive areas and high-economic-value ore deposits, enabling efficient resource utilization and environmental protection.