DEMATERIALIZATION IN 5 US METALS SECTORS - IMPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY USE AND CO2 EMISSIONS

The US copper, lead, zinc, aluminum and iron and steel sectors exhibit increasing competition for their products from new materials such as plastics and ceramics. The likely result of that competition and incre ased recycling is a decline in domestic production from virgin materia ls. Parallel to these developments are continued strong efforts by ind ustry to improve material handling and energy efficiencies, and to swi tch towards cleaner fuels. What are implications of these trends for m aterial and energy use and CO2 emissions by the copper, lead, zinc, al uminum and iron and steel sectors? To answer this question, this paper presents a systems view of industrial activity in which the major raw materials and energy flows are traced through the five US metals sect ors. Dynamic interrelationships among resource extraction, materials p rocessing, fuel use and technological change are specified on the basi s of time series data and engineering information. Projections of mate rial, energy and CO2 emissions profiles are presented for the years 19 90-2020, These projections include energy requirements by the energy s ectors to supply various fuels and electricity for the five metals sec tors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.