Our products and their environmental challenges

The environment is a key issue throughout our value chain, from mining and transportation to the control and regulation of processes at our facilities.

SMA Mineral’s product range mainly consists of products based on the carbonate minerals limestone and dolomite. The operations also include a deposit for quartz mining, as well as several other minerals and rocks that can be considered by-products. The carbonate stone is crushed, sieved, and ground into fractions tailored to customer specifications or further processed through calcination and hydration.

Impact at different stages

Mining of raw stone materials impacts the environment by irreversibly altering the landscape as the raw materials are extracted from nature. During mining, the surroundings are affected by noise from machinery and vibrations associated with blasting. The operations can also impact the biological diversity around the facilities.

When limestone and dolomite are processed into burnt lime and burnt dolomite, carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere from the raw stone materials as well as from the fuels used in the process. Lime calcination also results in air pollution emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and dioxins.

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ROCK AND CARBONATES

Products:
Limestone | Dolomite | Quartz | Crushed aggregate

Processes:
The stone is quarried, crushed, sifted and can sometimes be ground to the right fraction.

Burning:
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Environmental challenges:
* Changed landscape
* Noise, dust and vibrations affect the environment
* Electricity dependent
* Impact on ground and surface water
* Impact on biodiversity
* Waste disposal
* Internal transport

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BURNT PRODUCTS

Products:
Burnt lime | Burnt dolomite | Burnt lime & cement | Slaked lime

Processes:
The stone is quarried, crushed and sifted.

Burning:
The crushed fractions are fired in a furnace and sieved. In some cases, briquetting and grinding takes place.

Environmental challenges:
* Climate impact
* Emissions to air
* Fossil emissions from raw materials
* Fossil emissions from fuels
* Electricity dependent
* Impact on ground and surface water
* Impact on biodiversity
* Waste disposal
* Internal transport and road transport

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LIME MUD

Products:
Lime mud comes from customers in the paper industry and is delivered – in a circular flow – back to the customer in burnt form.

Processes:
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Burning:
Like other products, the lime mud is fired in an oven, normally at around 1,000 degrees C.

Environmental challenges: The burning of the lime mud presents the same challenges for the environment as other kiln operations.