中国金矿资源开发中的生态足迹分析

Ecological Footprints of Gold Ore Exploitation in China

基于生态足迹理论和方法,对中国金矿资源开发利用效率与环境压力作定量研究。结果表明:1994年-2001年中国金矿石生态足迹总体呈上升趋势,但波动较大,究其原因,钢铁、木材和电力消耗是影响总量趋势变化的关键因素;研究期内单位金矿石产出的生态资源消耗量呈现下降趋势,资源效率不断提高,资源开发规模效应显现;从结构上看,能源消费是金矿石生态足迹的重要来源,但与有色及钢铁等全行业最终产品相比,初级产品金矿石的能源足迹所占比重明显较低,矿山占用地和工业品携带能源足迹在金矿石足迹结构中也占有重要的地位。研究不仅为矿产品生态足迹提供了计算框架及范式,也刻画了矿产资源开发利用中资源和生态付出的代价,或可为矿产资源开发的生态补偿政策研究提供理论依据。

Rapid growth of economy leads to a rapid increase in resources exploitation and consumption and environmental degradation. This has resulted in a profound impact on the industry and posed a big challenge on regional sustainable development. It is, therefore, necessary to measure resources and environmental pressures arising from human＇ s exploitation. Ecological footprint is an important theory and approach to evaluate the sustainable development status. The authors made an attempt to quantitatively explore the development of China＇ s gold resources and utilization efficiency as well as environmental impacts. This study aims to not only provide an ecological footprint accounting framework and paradigm about minerals, but also reveal mechanisms of mineral resource exploitation and utilization as well as ecological costs. Results showed that over the period 1990-2004, the gold ore ecological footprint in China generally showed an increasing trend, but there was greater variability in the total change. This could be ascribed to the key factors, i.e., steel, wood, and power consumption. Consumption of ecological resources from unit-level output of gold ore during the study period exhibited an essentially declining trend, with continuously improved utilization efficiency of resources. The scale effect of resource exploitation progressively emerged. From a standpoint of structure, energy consumption is a key source of gold ore ecological footprint. The footprint of the primary product of gold ore accounts for an insignificant portion compared to the final products of non-ferrous and iron and steel industries. It was found that the footprint of the land occupied by mine and the energy of industrial goods played a fundamental role in the footprint of gold ore. Corresponding policy recommendations are given as follows： 1） controlling inputs of raw materials in mining production and reducing indirect impacts on the environment. From the perspective of ecological footprint, material （energy and industrial products） reduction is an effective way to reduce resources consumption and ecological footprint, and alleviate environmental pressures from the source. Exploitation planning and environmental assessment should be taken seriously; and 2） conducting mineral development within circular economy, and implementing ecological compensation policy, in particular gradually including the ecological cost of the process of mineral development through the application of ＂non-wasre waste mining＂ and ＂green mining＂ technology, can reduce the ＂ecological rucksack＂ and ecological footprint, as well as promote comprehensive recovery of resources and land reclamation.