Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Sci Total Environ. 2017 Dec 15;605-606:300-314. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.128. Epub 2017 Jun 29.
Contamination resulting from past industrial activity is a problem throughout the world and many sites are severely contaminated by metals. Advances in research in recent years have resulted in the development of technologies for recovering metal from metal-rich materials within the framework of remediation projects. Using cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and explicitly taking uncertainties into account, this paper evaluates the potential social profitability of copper recovery as part of four remediation alternatives at a Swedish site. One alternative involves delivery of copper-rich ash to a metal production company for refining. The other three alternatives involve metal leaching from materials and sale of the resulting metal sludge for its further processing at a metal production company using metallurgical methods. All the alternatives are evaluated relative to the conventional excavation and disposal method. Metal recovery from the ash, metal sludge sale, and disposal of the contaminated soil and the ash residue at the local landfill site, was found to be the best remediation alternative. However, given the present conditions, its economic potential is low relative to the conventional excavation and disposal method but higher than direct disposal of the copper-rich ash for refining. Volatile copper prices, the high cost of processing equipment, the highly uncertain cost of the metal leaching and washing process, coupled with the substantial project risks, contribute most to the uncertainties in the CBA results for the alternatives involving metal leaching prior to refining. However, investment in processing equipment within the framework of a long-term investment project, production of safe, reusable soil residue, and higher copper prices on the metal market, can make metal recovery technology socially profitable.
过去的工业活动造成的污染是一个全球性的问题，许多地点都受到了重金属的严重污染。近年来，研究的进展导致了在修复项目框架内从富含金属的材料中回收金属的技术的发展。本文使用成本效益分析（CBA），并明确考虑不确定性，评估了在瑞典一个地点的四个修复替代方案中回收铜的潜在社会效益。一种替代方案是将富含铜的灰烬送到金属生产公司进行精炼。其他三种替代方案涉及从材料中浸出金属，并将产生的金属污泥出售给金属生产公司，使用冶金方法进一步加工。所有替代方案都相对于传统的挖掘和处置方法进行了评估。从灰烬中回收金属、出售金属污泥以及在当地垃圾填埋场处置受污染的土壤和灰烬残渣，被认为是最佳的修复替代方案。然而，考虑到目前的情况，相对于传统的挖掘和处置方法，其经济潜力较低，但高于直接将富含铜的灰烬进行精炼处理。挥发性铜价、处理设备的高成本、金属浸出和洗涤过程的高度不确定性成本，以及大量的项目风险，是导致涉及在精炼前进行金属浸出的替代方案的 CBA 结果存在不确定性的主要因素。然而，在长期投资项目框架内投资于处理设备、生产安全、可重复使用的土壤残渣，以及金属市场上更高的铜价，可以使金属回收技术具有社会效益。
