A new approach to estimating emissions from mining enterprises, taking into account the carbon footprint
Authors:   National University of Science and Technology MISIS, KULIKOVA Aleksandra 
Published: March 2024

Introduction. Regions with developed mining and mining processing industries are characterized, as a rule, by intense anthropogenic impact on the environment. It is necessary to assess the scale of the environmental impact taking into account a number of factors, such as: geographical location, climatic conditions, quantity and quality of extracted minerals, as well as technological indicators of their development. The negative impact on the environment during the extraction of minerals can be local, regional and global in nature. If local problems may be solved directly within the framework of a mining enterprise by applying environmental measures, then regional and global impacts need to be addressed taking into account many factors. An example of the regional and global scale of the impact of a mining enterprise on the environment is its impact on atmospheric air. Significant amounts of dust and gas emissions can spread beyond the territory of the sanitary protection zone, resulting in the migration of pollutants into water bodies and soils, and chemical transformations in the atmosphere will lead to the formation of acid rain, destruction the ozone layer and the emergence of the greenhouse effect. To ensure environmental safety in mining regions, it is necessary to reduce atmospheric air pollution, the effectiveness of which is assessed taking into account the results of a geoecological assessment, evaluation of the natural potential of the territory, analysis of anthropogenic load, protection of the territory of mining areas. In the geoecological assessment of anthropogenic impact, it is necessary be aware of the scale of the environmental impact of mining enterprises and apply a regional indicator that should take into account the specifics of enterprises and the effectiveness of environmental protection measures. The purpose of the work. Carrying out an assessment of territories subject to geoecological changes in the environment, consider the results of a geoecological assessment, evaluation of the natural potential and protection of the territory, analysis of anthropogenic load and a regional indicator that takes into account the scale of impact, the specifics of the enterprise, technological features of field development and the effectiveness of environmental protection measures. Methodology. The research was conducted on the basis of an analysis of literary data from Russian and foreign sources. Methods of geoecological assessment, patterns of interrelation of gas and dust emissions from mining facilities were considered, patterns of distribution of emissions in the air were evaluated, taking into account the specifics of the relief and climate of the mining region, and technological features of field development. The paper proposes a general concept of geoecological regulation by determining the composition and volume of pollutants from the technological process, taking into account the carbon footprint of the enterprise, assessing the relationship between gas and dust emissions from mining facilities and the patt erns of emissions in the air. The purpose of the research. Assessment of methods for determining the composition and volume of pollutants from the technological process, taking into account the carbon footprint of the enterprise, assessment of the regularity of the spread of emissions in the air, considering the specifics of the relief and climate of the mining region, as well as technological features of the field development. Results and discussion. As a result of the work, patterns of emission of gas and dust emissions into the atmosphere from technological processes at a mining enterprise have been established, taking into account climatic conditions and terrain. It is proposed to conduct a geoecological assessment of a mining enterprise taking into account the natural potential and protection of the territory, to form a structure for estimating specific emissions, which allows further taking into account the carbon footprint for the enterprise. Conclusions. It is proposed to use specific direct and indirect emissions of the enterprise when conducting a geoecological assessment of the impact of mining enterprises on atmospheric air, which will allow further use of data to assess the carbon footprint of the enterprise.