Environmental assessment of copper production in Europe: an LCA case study from Sweden conducted using two conventional software-database setups

This study focuses on the environmental assessment of European copper production. Life cycle is applied to analyse cathode production in Sweden, including its mining (an open-pit mine) and refining (pyrometallurgy), using two combinations software databases: SimaPro with ecoinvent database GaBi database. The results are compared from other case studies literature. A cradle-to-gate LCA was conducted considering 1 tonne as functional unit. inventory for foreground system elaborated primary data gathered by staff mine, concentrator smelter. For background data, databases used datasets Swedish market whenever possible. As smelter has multiple useful outputs, economic allocation at level. calculation method CML-IA baseline 3.5 considered both database, reporting all impact categories plus Cumulative Energy Demand. main hotspots were presented, such explosives blasting (due their supply chain) or electricity concentrator. obtained yield large differences abiotic depletion (7.5 times higher ecoinvent), possibly due boundaries characterisation factors method. Although a relatively high cumulative energy demand (140/168 kMJ/tonne Cu) mines, performance global warming (3.5/4.7 CO2eq/tonne much better low greenhouse gas emissions electricity, which shows that mix key aspect. depends partially specific conditions deposit, e.g., ore grade type. practitioners should consider potential different can be exert caution when comparing cases, especially depletion, human toxicity ecotoxicity categories. Finally, use renewable energies improve sustainability