Environmental impact assessment of α-spodumene production from Lithium mining in Australia

The global transition to renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles has significantly increased the demand for lithium-ion batteries. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of producing α-spodumene from hard-rock sources in eight Australian facilities using plant emission data. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) results indicate an average global warming potential (GWP) of 0.4 kg CO₂ eq/kg α-spodumene, primarily from diesel-powered mining and processing. Beyond GWP, significant contributions were identified for terrestrial ecotoxicity, human health impacts from fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) formation, and non-carcinogenic toxicity attributed to the release of heavy metals and chemical reagents during ore beneficiation, the generation of contaminated dust and tailings, and the potential for leaching into adjacent soils. These findings highlight the need to reduce emissions of CO 2 , NOx, PM 2.5 , and toxic metals in upstream lithium extraction, as they represent the most critical environmental and human health burdens associated with lithium ore mining.