Country-Specific External Costs of Abiotic Resource Use Based on User Cost Model in Life Cycle Impact Assessment.

Abiotic resources are indispensable in society, but there are concerns regarding their depletion, scarcity, and increasing prices, resulting in potential economic damage in the future. To address these concerns, it is effective to consider the external costs of resource use. Although resource availability is different among mining sites, and local conditions are relevant in assessing resource scarcity, previous studies have assessed external costs and potential impacts of abiotic resource use globally. This study provides country-specific characterization factors (CFs) of abiotic resource use in life cycle impact assessment based on the user cost model, which represents the external costs of abiotic resource use to reflect country-specific resource scarcity. We demonstrate considerable variations in the CFs depending on the mining country, suggesting that the choice of mining country can affect external costs. The global external cost of abiotic resource use in 2020 was estimated at 1.9 trillion $, with a major contribution from the extraction of fossil fuels in the United States. Historical trends of the CFs and relevant parameters showed temporal fluctuations, emphasizing the importance of regularly updating the data underlying the calculation of the CFs. Country-level assessments of the external costs of resource use can contribute to discussions on the responsibilities of consuming countries by incorporating material footprint studies.

Implementation and Cost Analysis of a Novel Silicosis Case-Finding Program For Mine Workers in Rural Rwanda.

Little is known about the burden of silicosis in Africa, despite extensive mining and construction operations in the region putting numerous people at risk. The implementation experience and costs of case-finding for occupational lung disease in resource-limited settings are also currently unknown. We describe the first-ever silicosis case-finding project in rural Rwanda using chest X-ray, symptom questionnaires, and spirometry. This was coupled with routine noncommunicable disease case-finding for diabetes and hypertension. We performed an ingredient-based analysis of the costs of all case-finding activities. In 2022, over 25 days, 1,032 mine workers were included in the program, of which 1,014 (98.3%) completed silicosis case-finding activities. The total cost of the program was estimated to be US$38,656, representing a cost of US$37.49 per person. We conclude that conducting large-scale occupational lung disease case-finding is clinically and economically feasible in resource-limited settings and can be effectively integrated with routine noncommunicable disease case-finding.

Mining Injuries 2012-2019: Using Workers' Compensation Claims Data From 35 States to Identify Rates and Costs Associated by Nature of Injury, Event/Exposure, and Body Part Affected.

OBJECTIVE: This study summarized the frequency and cost of mining-related injuries. METHODS: Mining-related workers' compensation (WC) claims data from 35 states were summarized to report counts, claim rates, and costs for 2012-2019. These data were compared with Mine Safety and Health Administration injury and employment data for the same period. RESULTS: Despite system differences, both WC and Mine Safety and Health Administration counts and rates declined over time and injury patterns were similar. Total WC costs were approximately $2.325B. Medical-only claims represented 59.4% of the claims by count, but only 3.3% of costs. Lost-time nonfatal claims represented 40.2% of the claims by count, but 90.2% of costs. Claims frequency and costs varied greatly by injury event/exposure, part of body, and nature. CONCLUSIONS: Injury frequency has declined but costs remain high. The most costly and disabling cases were identified.

How environmental regulation affects China's rare earth export?

China's rare earth export trade has developed so rapidly since 1990s that China has gradually occupied a leading position in the international market. However, this fast development was proceeding at the cost of the rare earth energy consumption and environmental devastation. Now China begins to attach great importance to environmental protection, which attracts many researchers. This study aims to analyze the influence of environmental regulation on China's rare earth export trade. And the original study is amongst the few to examine the relationship between environmental regulation and China's rare earth export with the product-level data. Different from previous studies, this paper selects China's rare earth export data from 1995 to 2015 and introduces product heterogeneity based on the rare earth production process. Moreover, this study uses the entropy weight method to measure the intensity of environmental regulation. The core conclusions are as follows: (1) Environmental regulation significantly promotes rather than restrains China's rare earth export. (2) According to the rare earth production process, this paper divides rare earth products into 3 kinds, that is, rare earth raw materials, rare earth useful components and rare earth end-use applications. Then, it is found that rare earth useful component export in processing and smelting is positively affected by environmental regulation. Rare earth raw materials and end-use applications in China's export are hardly affected. (3) Technological innovation has a mediating effect on the impact mechanism of environmental regulation on China's rare earth export, which means that environmental regulation significantly promotes technological innovation of enterprises, and thereby the rare earth export is increased. The findings are helpful for policymakers to resolve the issue of environmental devastation.

Can smart policies solve the sand mining problem?

While sand has become a scarce essential resource for construction and land reclamation worldwide, its extraction causes severe ecological damage and high social costs. To derive policy solutions to this paramount global challenge with broad applicability, this model-based analysis exemplarily studies sand trade from Southeast Asia to Singapore. Accordingly, a coordinated transboundary sand output tax reduces sand mining to a large extent, while the economic costs are small for the sand importer and slightly positive for the exporters. As a novel policy implementation approach, a "Sand Extraction Allowances Trading Scheme" is proposed, which helps sustainably balance the importer's economic growth with the exporters' economic development.

Risk versus benefit: Should not audiologists assess this in the context of occupational noise-induced hearing loss in the mining industry?

BACKGROUND: Hearing conservation programmes (HCPs) are an important aspect of occupational health efforts to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL). In low- and middle income (LAMI) countries, where the incidence of ONIHL is significant, it is important to deliberate on the risk or benefit of HCPs. OBJECTIVES: This article is an attempt at highlighting important strategic indicators as well as important variables that the occupational health and audiology community need to consider to plan efficacious HCPs within the South African mining context. METHOD: The current arguments are presented in the form of a viewpoint publication. RESULTS: Occupational audiology vigilance in the form of engagement with HCPs in the mining industry has been limited within the South African research and clinical communities. When occupational audiology occurs, it is conducted by mid-level workers and paraprofessionals; and it is non-systematic, non-comprehensive and non-strategic. This is compounded by the current, unclear externally enforced accountability by several bodies, including the mining industry regulating body, with silent and/or peripheral regulation by the Health Professions Council of South Africa and the Department of Health. The lack of involvement of audiologists in the risk or benefit evaluation of HCPs during their development and monitoring process, as well as their limited involvement in the development of policies and regulations concerning ear health and safety within this population are probable reasons for this. CONCLUSIONS: Increased functioning of the regulatory body towards making the employers accountable for the elimination of ONIHL, and a more central and prominent role for audiologists in HCPs, are strongly argued for.

Determining the Operating Costs of a Medical Surveillance Program for Copper Miners Exposed to High Altitude-Induced Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in Chile Using a Combination of Microcosting and Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing.

BACKGROUND: Copper mining installations in Chile use a large number of workers who do their jobs at high altitudes, exposing them to the conditions of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia. The Chilean Safety Association implements the surveillance program. OBJECTIVE: This organization, under the sponsorship of the Chilean Superintendency of Social Security, was interested in determining the costs involved in this program to support its decision-making processes and to improve its performance. METHODS: Direct operating costs of the Hypoxia Medical Surveillance Program were determined through on-site surveys applied to the organization's local agencies in charge. The microcosting method was used, quantifying personnel costs, consumables, and equipment and overhead costs. Time-driven activity-based costing was partially adapted for the allocation of personnel and equipment costs. Costs concerning activities, groups of activities and items, and average cost per exposed worker were determined. RESULTS: The annual costs of the program were $127 299.58. The highest costs corresponded to the assessment activities, which were $89 192.13, representing 60.06% of the total. The labor factor costs were $77 568.50, which represents 60.93% of the total. The average cost per worker in the program is $21.17. CONCLUSIONS: The partial adaptation of the time-driven activity-based costing method in combination with the microcosting method provides a suitable solution to determine the total costs of running a healthcare program of this kind. The information generated by this study will aid in the decision-making and management processes of the Hypoxia Medical Surveillance Program.

Emergy-based environmental accounting of one mining system.

Metal production from mineral resources is crucial for economic development. However, most mining activities usually target short-term financial benefits, rather than long-term consideration on ecological sustainability. To better understand the impact of metal production, systematic evaluation methods should be applied to complement current economic accounting tools. Under such a circumstance, this study proposes an emergy-based metal production evaluation framework, taking a life cycle perspective from the formation of mineral deposit to the final production of metal. Ecosystem service loss, CO2 emissions, and emissions' impact are quantified, evaluating the comprehensive performance of a lead and zinc production system in Yunnan Province of China. The results show that minerals contribute significantly to the formation of lead and zinc production; however, emergy received in terms of money substantially undervalues environmental work associated with production. Such a metal production system relies heavily on nonrenewable resources and put enormous pressures on local ecosystems. The beneficiation subsystem generates the highest negative impact per emergy output, followed by the smelting and refining subsystem and the underground mining subsystem. From climate change point of view, producing 1 ton of lead bullion leads to 1.79E+03 kg CO2eq. Electricity use contributes a dominated share to the total CO2 emission of all subsystems. In addition, lead recycling can greatly reduce the overall CO2 emission, indicating that it is necessary to build up a regional lead collection and recycling system. Finally, several policy suggestions are raised by considering the local realities, aiming to promote sustainable development of this industry.

Accounting for employee health: The productivity cost of leading health risks.

BACKGROUND: "Workplace health promotion and protection" broadly refers to an integrated approach to workplace health and safety initiatives. There are substantial benefits to adopting such an approach, including the potential for: improvements to individual employees' health and well-being; increased productivity; and reduced safety risks and expenses. Yet many employers remain reluctant to shift from traditional safety initiatives and spending. This paper aims to demonstrate the value of investing in an integrated health promotion and protection approach by calculating the productivity costs associated with 11 modifiable health risks and 14 chronic conditions in an Australian mining company. METHOD: Eight hundred and ninety-seven employees participated in a self-report health survey aimed at investigating employee health behaviours, health conditions and productivity. RESULTS: Overall, modifiable health risks and chronic health conditions were calculated to contribute to an estimated $22.15 million (AUD) and $7.95 million (AUD) in lost productivity per 1000 employees per annum, respectively. Although employee stress was identified as the third highest prevalence health risk across the employee sample (at 42%), it accounted for the highest financial burden. CONCLUSION: Employee health plays a vital role in the profitability, productivity, and safety outcomes of an organisation. For modifiable health risks and chronic conditions, ailments that affected cognition resulted in the highest financial burden (ie, stress and migraine headaches). SO WHAT?: These findings make a strong financial and business case for the integration of preventative health and safety initiatives, with particular emphasis on modifiable health risk behaviours.

Live and Let Die? Life Cycle Human Health Impacts from the Use of Tire Studs.

Studded tires are used in a number of countries during winter in order to prevent accidents. The use of tire studs is controversial and debated because of human health impacts from increased road particle emissions. The aims of this study are to assess whether the use of tire studs in a Scandinavian studded passenger car actually avoids or causes health impacts from a broader life cycle perspective, and to assess the distribution of these impacts over the life cycle. Life cycle assessment is applied and the disability-adjusted life years indicator is used to quantify the following five types of health impacts: (1) impacts saved in the use phase, (2) particle emissions in the use phase, (3) production system emissions, (4) occupational accidents in the production system, and (5) conflict casualties from revenues of cobalt mining. The results show that the health benefits in the use phase in general are outweighed by the negative impacts during the life cycle. The largest contribution to these negative human health impacts are from use phase particle emissions (67⁻77%) and occupational accidents during artisanal cobalt mining (8⁻18%). About 23⁻33% of the negative impacts occur outside Scandinavia, where the benefits occur. The results inform the current debate and highlight the need for research on alternatives to tire studs with a positive net health balance.

How extractive industries affect health: Political economy underpinnings and pathways.

A systematic and theoretically informed analysis of how extractive industries affect health outcomes and health inequities is overdue. Informed by the work of Saskia Sassen on "logics of extraction," we adopt an expansive definition of extractive industries to include (for example) large-scale foreign acquisitions of agricultural land for export production. To ground our analysis in concrete place-based evidence, we begin with a brief review of four case examples of major extractive activities. We then analyze the political economy of extractivism, focusing on the societal structures, processes, and relationships of power that drive and enable extraction. Next, we examine how this global order shapes and interacts with politics, institutions, and policies at the state/national level contextualizing extractive activity. Having provided necessary context, we posit a set of pathways that link the global political economy and national politics and institutional practices surrounding extraction to health outcomes and their distribution. These pathways involve both direct health effects, such as toxic work and environmental exposures and assassination of activists, and indirect effects, including sustained impoverishment, water insecurity, and stress-related ailments. We conclude with some reflections on the need for future research on the health and health equity implications of the global extractive order.