Monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions at mining and processing plants in Ukraine under European integration conditions
Abstract
Purposes. To develop a scientifically substantiated approach to greenhouse gas emissions monitoring at mining and processing enterprises in Ukraine in the context of European integration and industrial decarbonization, ensuring compliance with European Union Emissions Trading System standards and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism requirements.
Methods. The mass balance methodology and the risk matrix through probability and impact assessment are employed.
Results. For calculating greenhouse gas emissions based on analysis of material flows at one of Ukraine's leading mining and processing enterprises, sequential technological process analysis is conducted to identify emission sources, including pellet drying and firing zones, bentonite drying drums, mill circuits, and boiler installations. Material flow mapping covered input flows (natural gas, coal, limestone, bentonite, iron ore concentrate, biomass) and output flows (pellets, CO₂ emissions). A comprehensive risk matrix was developed for assessing monitoring data quality threats based on probability and impact criteria. Analysis of greenhouse gas emission dynamics in Ukraine over recent decades revealed significant reduction compared to baseline levels, primarily resulting from economic crises and armed conflicts rather than purposeful climate policy. For the examined enterprise, total annual CO₂ emissions were calculated, with natural gas accounting for the dominant share, followed by limestone decarbonization, iron ore concentrate processing, and bentonite. International practice analysis demonstrates that leading global producers achieve substantially lower emission levels per tonne of pellets through effective monitoring systems and decarbonization strategies.
Conclusions. The mass balance methodology proves optimal for mining and processing enterprises, ensuring comprehensive accounting of all significant emission sources, including process emissions from carbonate material decarbonization. The developed risk matrix enables systematic threat management through probability and impact assessment. Implementation of certified monitoring systems is critically necessary for Ukrainian mining enterprises to maintain competitiveness in international markets and comply with European climate requirements.
Downloads
References
IPCC (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Dueñas, M., & Mandel, A. (2025). Regional emission dynamics in the phases of the EU Emissions Trading System. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 673, 130680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physa.2025.130680
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. (2023). Ukraine's greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2021: Annual National Inventory Report for submission under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.
Bun, R., Marland, G., Oda, T., See, L., Puliafito, E., Nahorski, Z., Jonas, M., Kovalyshyn, V., Ialongo, I., Yashchun, O., & Romanchuk, Z. (2024). Tracking unaccounted greenhouse gas emissions due to the war in Ukraine since 2022. Science of The Total Environment, 914, 169879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169879
Beaufils, T., Ward, H., Jakob, M., & Wenz, L. (2023). Assessing different European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism implementations and their impact on trade partners. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), 131. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00788-4
Azadi, M., Northey, S. A., Ali, S. H., & Edraki, M. (2020). Transparency on greenhouse gas emissions from mining to enable climate change mitigation. Nature Geoscience, 13(2), 100-104. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-0531-3
Liu, L. Y., Ji, H. G., Lü, X. F., Wang, T., Zhi, S., Pei, F., & Quan, D. L. (2021). Mitigation of greenhouse gases released from mining activities: A review. International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, 28, 513-521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2155-4
Zhu, Z., Zhao, J., & Liu, Y. (2024). The impact of energy imports on green innovation in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. Journal of Environmental Management, 349, 119591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119591
Kushnir, D., Hansen, T., Vogl, V., & Åhman, M. (2020). Adopting hydrogen direct reduction for the Swedish steel industry: A technological innovation system (TIS) study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 242, 118185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118185
Van Caneghem, J., Block, C., Cramm, P., Mortier, R., & Vandecasteele, C. (2010). Improving eco-efficiency in the steel industry: The ArcelorMittal Gent case. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(8), 807-814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.12.016
Zhang, J., Shen, J., Xu, L., & Zhang, Q. (2023). The CO2 emission reduction path towards carbon neutrality in the Chinese steel industry: A review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 99, 107017 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2022.107017
Pourrahmani, H., Amiri, M. T., Madi, H., & Owusu, J. P. (2025). Revolutionizing carbon sequestration: Integrating IoT, AI, and blockchain technologies in the fight against climate change. Energy Reports, 13, 5952-5967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2025.05.042
Mikhailov, V. A. (2023). Vysokoperspektyvni obiekty mineralno-syrovynnoi bazy Ukrainy. Chastyna 1. Metalichni korysni kopalyny. Visnyk KNU. Heolohiia, 1(100), 73-85. http://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2713.100.09 (in Ukrainian)
Fahimi Bandpey, T., Golroudbary, S. R., & Kraslawski, A. (2024). Greenhouse gas impact related to minerals mining and processing. Procedia CIRP, 130, 1001-1006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2024.10.198
Kapelista I., Kireitseva H., Tsyhanenko-Dziubenko I., Khomenko S., Vovk V. Review of Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Use of Ukraine's Natural Resources. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources. 2024. Vol. 7, no. 3. P. s378-s395. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.0703ukr19
Kireitseva, H. V., & Khomenko, S. V. (2025). Vprovadzhennia systemy monitorynhu, zvitnosti ta veryfikatsii vykydiv parnykovykh haziv yak instrument yevrointehratsii Ukrainy [Implementation of greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, reporting and verification system as a tool for Ukraine's European integration]. Visnyk Kremenchutskoho Natsionalnoho universytetu imeni Mykhaila Ostrohradskoho, 1(150), 81-91. https://doi.org/10.32782/1995-0519.2025.1.10 (in Ukrainian)
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2020, September 23). On approval of the Procedure for monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions: Resolution No. 960 of September 23, 2020 (as amended on November 17, 2023). https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/960-2020-п
EU ETS. (2021). Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC.
Norgate, T., & Haque, N. (2010). Energy and greenhouse gas impacts of mining and mineral processing operations. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(3), 266-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.09.020
Zhang, J., Li, H., & Wang, M. (2024). Digital monitoring systems for greenhouse gas emissions in mining operations. Journal of Environmental Management, 333, 117315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.117315
Ren, L., Zhou, S., & Peng, T. (2021). Carbon footprint evaluation of iron ore mining and processing. Resources Policy, 71, 101988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.101988
Copyright (c) 2025 Kireitseva H. V., Khomenko S. V., Palii O. V., Kravchuk-Obodzinska T. V., Suprunova I. V.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication of this work under the terms of a license Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
