Transport in the minerals industry – Contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and potential for mitigation

The extraction of primary ores and the end user of the contained minerals are typically separated by large distances. Under current paradigms, the transportation of minerals is powered by fossil fuels, which produce significant greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Off-site greenhouse gas emissions from transportation of mineral products are not currently considered to be within the scope of influence of the mineral industry except in those cases where the company owns and operates the transport fleet. The significance of these emissions has therefore not been regularly accounted for. This paper presents the results of a study conducted by the authors of the emissions from transportation of Australian minerals (as one of the world’s key minerals producers). The results indicated that an estimated 4.4Mt of CO₂-equivalent was produced domestically by transportation in 2008. This is equivalent to 6% of other emissions from the Australian minerals industry (McLellan, 2009). Estimates of the emissions from export shipping of Australian bulk minerals indicated that an additional 96.4Mt of CO₂-equivalent is produced from this source, which is 20% greater than the entire on-site and off-site electricity generation emissions from the Australian minerals industry. Possible mitigation options were examined, with fuel substitution for biodiesel, natural gas or hydrogen showing the highest potential in the medium to long term.