Abstract
Abstract Purpose This article provides methodological insights to evaluate the socio-economic risk of an emerging froth flotation technology for the mining sector with the goal of guiding the design and development process. This technology is used to separate valuable particles based on surface properties among minerals and, if properly developed, could be used to valorize fine particles that currently existing technology cannot separate and thus become waste material. Methods The Social Hotspot assessment utilized the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database to analyze social hotspots in the relevant industrial sector. In addition, a survey captured the viewpoints of technology developers regarding additional potential social risk and opportunities. The final results were defined by combining these two analyses, conducted according to the 2020 UNEP guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products and Organizations. For the economic assessment, the Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) methodology (ISO14051) was applied, considering material costs, system costs, energy costs, and waste management costs for both the current situation and a future industrial-scale scenario. Results and discussion The study emphasizes the importance of tailoring methodological approaches for case studies involving low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) technologies based on available data. The state of technology development has led to different results for the economic and social analyses, primarily due to the difficulty in accurately predicting potential social impacts at this stage. The social analysis identified potential risks and 28 subcategories of impacts across different stakeholder categories. The economic assessment found that energy costs (49%) were the highest contributor to the MFCA cost of the future scenario, followed by system costs (29%). Conclusions and recommendations The study concludes that conducting a socio-economic analysis during the developmental stage of a technology is valuable for identifying critical hotspots that require monitoring, effectively guiding the research and development phase. This application represents a unique case in the mining sector and could be a first step in defining a methodological approach suitable for low TRL technologies. Analyzing both social and economic risks provides a more comprehensive perspective on sustainability, complementing environmental risk assessments.
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