Characteristics of carbon emissions and low-carbon pathway design for different mining technologies in open-pit coal mines
WANG Zhongxin
SHENG Shibo
LIU Wenfang
GUO Qiang
ZHANG Kai
Abstract：This study aims to scientifically quantify the carbon emission intensity of various open-pit mining techniques and clarify their differences in carbon emissions,and thereby support the selection of low-carbon alternatives in open-pit coal mining.Based on the Life Cycle Assessment(LCA)method,carbon emission sources across the full life cycle of different open-pit coal mining techniques were identified.Taking each production stage as the research subject,Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)was systematically employed to analyze the carbon emission intensity characteristics of five mining techniques:the single-bucket truck discontinuous process,the single-bucket truck semi-mobile crushing station semi-continuous process,the bucket-wheel continuous process,the single-bucket self-moving crusher semi-continuous process,and the cast blasting-dragline stripping process.The research results indicate that the carbon emission intensities of the five mining techniques differ significantly.The carbon emissions of these techniques,in descending order from highest to lowest,are:the single-bucket truck discontinuous process,the single-bucket truck semi-mobile crushing station semi-continuous process(approximately equal to the single-bucket self-moving crusher semi-continuous process),the bucket-wheel continuous process,and the cast blasting-dragline stripping process.The transportation and disposal stage is the core emission source for most mining techniques,accounting for 47.06%to 87.49%of total carbon emissions.In terms of carbon emission composition,the single-bucket truck discontinuous process is primarily driven by diesel consumption,accounting for 82.55%to 87.49%,while the single-bucket truck semi-mobile crushing station semi-continuous process is mainly driven by electricity consumption,accounting for 42.41%to 69.47%.Comprehensive optimization and configuration of mining techniques can significantly reduce carbon emissions.For the single-bucket truck semi-mobile crushing station semi-continuous process,adopting a large-bandwidth conveyor system can lower carbon emissions by 12%to 15%.For the single-bucket truck process,scaling up equipment in the transportation stage can reduce carbon emission intensity by 18%,while replacing diesel-powered equipment with electric-powered alternatives can cut carbon emission intensity by 80%.
Keywords：open-pit coal minemining processcarbon emissioncarbon peak and carbon neutralitydecarbonizationpathway design
Publication Date：2025-12-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-16(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：9( 79-87 )