The contemporary Oceania zinc cycle: one-year stocks and flows

摘要: The material flow approach provides a framework from which to address resource management and estimate gross environmental impacts, both spatially temporally. In this article, the major flows of zinc in Oceania over its entire life-cycle are examined; these include production (mining, milling, refining), fabrication manufacturing semi- finished products, use, waste system. Comprehensive mass balances were applied determine flows, including quantities entering stocks in-use reservoirs. cycle shows that substantial amounts (about 1120 Gg/year) mined on continent. total products use stage is about 8.6 kg/(capita.year), substantially exceeding discarded products. This difference, 7.2 kg Zn/(capita.year) average, added reservoir, largely for galvanizing applications domestic construction transportation. Less than 60% all system recycled. Much remaining diluted into other streams, where recovery recycling probably not economically feasible.