Life cycle inventory analysis and equivalent carbon dioxide emissions calculation of the mining and ore concentration processes of PGM at the anglo American Platinum Ltd, South Africa

Platinum group metals (PGM) are suitable for variety of specialty uses. A growing demand of PGM is expected to address environmental challenges; meanwhile, the extraction and recovery of PGM are among the most polluting activities to the environment. Sustainability reporting issued by mining companies annually provides figures covering economic, social as well as environmental performances; all together reflect on sustainability performance. In most reports, environmental aspect focuses on the progress made in improving the system performance in terms of satisfying compliance of emission reductions required by the regulations, and are not looked at stream value assigned to PGM currently. This study examines the growing concern of environmental emissions of PGM mining and ore concentration activities in South Africa; a case study of Anglo American Platinum.