Dynamic life cycle quantification of metallic elements and their circularity, efficiency, and leakages

Abstract

The global consumption of metals is tremendously high and growing, a problem that calls for immediate action. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation on the anthropogenic use of 55 metallic elements in two main parts: life cycle quantification and assessment. Firstly, a dynamic life cycle model is constructed to quantify annual flows, losses, and stocks during their technical use periods, that is mainly from 1900 to 2013. The results show that the global demand for 55 metals has increased from 224 Mt/yr in 1953 to 1543 Mt/yr in 2013. Meanwhile, emerging applications have created a tremendous demand for 32 metals rarely used prior to the 1980s. Furthermore, the in-use stock of all m..