Reevaluating the land use impact of a Li-ion battery related mining project, a case study of Greenbushes mine
Open accessAbstract
The mining industry plays a pivotal role in the global transition towards clean energy, driven by the escalating demand for critical elements like lithium. However, this growth raises profound environmental concerns, particularly regarding land use, global warming potential, water consumption, acidification, eutrophication, and toxicity. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has historically relied on approximations and theoretical methods, resulting in systematic underestimations of these impacts. This study begins to address part of this discrepancy by leveraging remote sensing technologies to gather empirical evidence. Focusing on the Greenbushes mining site in Australia, a comprehensive investigation was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the direct land use impact from satellite imagery over the life of the project. Comparative analyses were performed against various mid-point Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods. The findings unequivocally reveal a substantial under-reporting of the land use impact, highlighting the critical need for more accurate assessments in the context of mining activities. This research underscores the importance of empirical data in refining our understanding of the environmental footprint associated with mining operations, particularly in the critical context of clean energy transition. The study emphasises the imperative to reevaluate and adjust existing approaches to accurately account for the full scope of environmental impacts associated with mining operations.
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The largest producer of spodumene in Australia is the Greenbushes Li operation.
“In Australia, the largest producer of spodumene is the Greenbushes Li operation (Khakmardan et al 2024).”
From Environmental impacts of lithium supply chains from Australia to China (2024) · cites this paper as Khakmardan et al 2024
Cites
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Environmental impacts of lithium supply chains from Australia to China
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- Authors
- Khakmardan, S., Werner, T. T., Crawford, R., & Li, W.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Li, Wen
- Venue
- Procedia CIRP
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2024
- Volume
- 122
- Pages
- 1030-1035
- ISSN
- 2212-8271 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4396711416
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 0.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Procedia CIRP (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Mining and Resource Management
- Social Sciences › Law › Geology and Environmental Impact Studies
- Keywords
- lithium mining, land use effects, life cycle impact assessment, clean energy transition, critical minerals, global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, water consumption
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