New research into Australia's gold mines revealed "consistent, significant relationships" between gold grade and greenhouse gas emissions intensity per ounce, with average gold grades to fall 44% by 2029 that will significantly boost that intensity.
The research will be published in Journal of Cleaner Production in September by CSA Global principal geologist Sam Ulrich, who is undertaking his doctorate in geological controls on the operating cost structure of Australian and New Zealand gold mines under the supervision of his co-authors, Allan Trench and Steffen Hagemann, at the Centre for Exploration Targeting in Perth, Australia.
The study is titled "Greenhouse gas emissions and production cost footprints in Australian gold mines." It is the first to investigate whether relationships exist between greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption with reported costs of production, all-in sustaining costs, the source of the gold mined — open pit, underground or both — and the individual mine power source.