Biomass carbon emissions from nickel mining have significant implications for climate action

Mervine, Evelyn M.; Valenta, Rick K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3861-3948; Paterson, James S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3264-8242; Mudd, Gavin M.; Werner, Tim T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0565-4762; Nursamsi, Ilyas; Sonter, Laura J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6590-3986. 2025 Biomass carbon emissions from nickel mining have significant implications for climate action. Nature Communications, 16 (1), 481. 10.1038/s41467-024-55703-y

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text (Open Access Paper)
s41467-024-55703-y.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
Download (2MB) | Preview

Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55703-y

Abstract/Summary

Global nickel demand is projected to double by 2050 to support low-carbon technologies and renewable energy production. However, biomass carbon emissions from clearing vegetation for nickel mining are rarely included in corporate sustainability reports or considered in mineral sourcing decisions. Here, we compiled data for 481 nickel mines and undeveloped deposits to show that the footprint of nickel mining could be 4 to 500 times greater than previously reported (depending on the mine site), and thus the environmental impacts of nickel products, including batteries, have been underestimated to date. We found large variation in biomass losses among mines, and, in many cases, these unaccounted carbon emissions were significant relative to other Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from nickel extraction and processing. Reporting emissions from biomass losses from mining is key for strategic decision making on where to source nickel needed for effective climate action.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41467-024-55703-y
ISSN:	2041-1723
Date made live:	03 Mar 2025 14:55 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539002

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1038/s41467-024-55703-y

ISSN:

2041-1723

Date made live:

03 Mar 2025 14:55 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539002