Regional synergies for sustainable resource processing: a status report

Abstract

The notion of regional resource synergies concerns the capture, recovery and reuse ofpreviously discarded by-products (including materials, energy and water) from one industrialoperation by other, traditionally-separate, industries operating in its close geographicproximity. The realisation of such synergies in minerals-processing intensive areas provides asignificant avenue towards Sustainable Resource Processing, as was recognised byestablishing a research program on regional and supply chain synergies in the CooperativeResearch Centre for Sustainable Resource Processing (CSRP).This foundation project on Enabling Tools and Technologies for Capturing RegionalSynergies is aimed at encouraging and facilitating the greater utilisation of regional synergyopportunities to improve the overall Eco-Efficiency of minerals-processing intensiveregions. It involves three principal research tasks, i.e. (1) review, development andpromotion of best practices in regional synergy development; (2) development and trial of aregional Eco-Efficiency opportunity assessment method; and (3) technology assessment forenabling synergy technologies. This report summarises the results of the desk studiesundertaken towards the first research task between July 2004 and April 2005 by the Centreof Excellence in Cleaner Production (Curtin University of Technology) and the SustainableMinerals Institute (The University of Queensland).The research reported here provides an assessment of the status of development andapplication of regional resource synergies in minerals-processing intensive areas. It is basedon information collected from literature sources, including industry publications and theInternet, and direct interactions with industry and other professionals associated withregional synergy development and implementation, both nationally as well as internationally.