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2020 National Emissions Inventory Technical
Support Document: Industrial Processes -
Mining and Quarrying


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EP A-454/R-23 -00 lbb
March 2023

2020 National Emissions Inventory Technical Support Document: Industrial Processes - Mining

and Quarrying

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Air Quality Assessment Division
Research Triangle Park, NC


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Contents

List of Tables	i

28	Industrial Processes - Mining and Quarrying	28-1

28.1	Sector Descriptions and Overview	28-1

28.2	EPA-developed estimates	28-1

28.2.1	Activity data	28-1

28.2.2	Allocation procedure	28-2

28.2.3	Emission factors	28-5

28.2.4	Controls	28-8

28.2.5	Emissions	28-8

28.2.6	Example calculations	28-9

28.2.7	Improvements/Changes in the 2020 NEI	28-10

28.2.8	Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands	28-10

28.3	References	28-10

List of Tables

Table 28-1: NAICS Codes for Metallic and Non-Metallic Mining	28-2

Table 28-2: Withheld data ranges and midpoints	28-4

Table 28-3: Example County Business Pattern for NAICS 2123	28-4

Table 28-4: Sample calculations for estimating PM25-PRI emissions from mining and quarrying	28-9

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28 Industrial Processes - Mining and Quarrying

28.1	Sector Descriptions and Overview

Mining and quarrying activities produce particulate matter (PM) emissions due to the variety of
processes used to extract the ore and associated overburden, including drilling and blasting, loading and
unloading, and overburden replacement. Fugitive dust emissions for mining and quarrying operations
are the sum of emissions from the mining of metallic and nonmetallic ores and coal. Each of these
mining operations has specific emissions factors accounting for the different means by which the
resources are extracted.

28.2	EPA-developed estimates

Four specific activities are included in the emissions estimate for mining and quarrying operations:
overburden removal, drilling and blasting, loading and unloading, and overburden replacement. Not
included are the transfer and conveyance operations, crushing and screening operations, and storage
since the dust emissions from these activities are assumed to be well controlled. Fugitive dust emissions
for mining and quarrying operations are the sum of emissions from the mining of metallic and
nonmetallic ores and coal. Emissions for each activity are calculated by multiplying the emissions factors
by the activity data.

28.2.1 Activity data

Activity data for this source category include state-level metallic and non-metallic (a.k.a. mineral) crude
ore handled at surface mines from the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) [ref 1] and mine-specific coal
production data for surface mines from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) [ref 2], Emissions
are not estimated for underground mining given that emissions factors are calculated exclusively for
surface activity.

In some cases, the amount of mining waste is withheld for some states to avoid disclosing company
proprietary data. To estimate state-level withheld waste data the fraction of crude ore production in the
state is multiplied by the amount of waste data withheld at the national level. The national-level amount
of waste withheld is calculated by subtracting all known state-level waste values (i.e. those that are not
withheld) from the national-level waste value. Note that this calculation only needs to be completed for
states where state-level mining waste data are withheld.

(1)

Where:

Ws

Wus

Amount of metallic and non-metallic mining waste for state s, in metric tons
Amount of metallic and non-metallic mining waste withheld at the national level, in

a

metric tons

Amount of crude ore produced in state s, in metric tons

28-1


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Ous = Amount of crude ore produced at the national level, in metric tons

The data on state-level mining production and waste is split into production and waste for metallic and
nonmetallic ores using the fraction of national-level metallic and non-metallic ore production. Values are
also converted from metric tons to short tons. Throughout the remainder of this document references
to "ton(s)" refer to short tons, while metric tons will be explicitly labeled.

MPU = (W, + 0,) X ^ x 1.1023 t07mefric ton	(1)

Where:

MPt,s	=	Amount of mining material type t (i.e. either metallic or non-metallic ore) produced in
state s, in tons

Ws	=	Amount of total metallic and non-metallic mining waste for state s, in metric tons

Os	=	Amount of crude ore produced in state s, in metric tons

MPt,us	=	Amount of mining material type t produced at the national-level, in metric tons

MPus	=	Total metallic and non-metallic ore production at the national level, in metric tons

28.2.2 Allocation procedure

The state-level data on metallic and non-metallic mining materials (from Equation (2)) is distributed to
the county level based on the proportion of employees in the metallic and non-metallic ore sectors (see
Table 28-1 for a list of NAICS codes), from the U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns [ref 3],
Separate fractions are determined for metallic ore mining employees and non-metallic ore mining
employees in each county.

Emptr

EmpFractc = 				(2)

Empts

Where:

EmpFract,c = The fraction of mining employees for material type t in county c
Empt,c =The number of mining employees for material type t in county c
Empts =The number of mining employees for material type t in state s

Table 28-1: NAICS Codes for Metallic and Non-Metallic Mining

NAICS Code

Description

2122

Metal Ore Mining

212210

Iron Ore Mining

21222

Gold Ore and Silver Ore Mining

212221

Gold Ore Mining

212222

Silver Ore Mining

28-2


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NAICS Code

Description

21223

Copper, Nickel, Lead, and Zinc Mining

212231

Lead Ore and Zinc Ore Mining

212234

Copper Ore and Nickel Ore Mining

21229

Other Metal Ore Mining

212291

Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining

212299

All Other Metal Ore Mining

2123

Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

21231

Stone Mining and Quarrying

212311

Dimension Stone Mining and Quarrying

212312

Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying

212313

Crushed and Broken Granite Mining and Quarrying

212319

Other Crushed and Broken Stone Mining and Quarrying

21232

Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and
Quarrying

212321

Construction Sand and Gravel Mining

212322

Industrial Sand Mining

212324

Kaolin and Ball Clay Mining

212325

Clay and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining

21239

Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying

212391

Potash, Soda, and Borate Mineral Mining

212392

Phosphate Rock Mining

212393

Other Chemical and Fertilizer Mineral Mining

212399

All Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining

Due to concerns with releasing confidential business information, the CBP does not release exact
numbers for a given NAICS code if the data can be traced to an individual business. Instead, a series of
range codes is used. To estimate employment in counties and states with withheld data, the following
procedure is used for NAICS code being computed.

To gap-fill withheld state-level employment data:

a.	State-level data for states with known employment in each NAICS are summed to the national
level.

b.	The total sum of state-level known employment from step a is subtracted from the national
total reported employment for each NAICS in the national-level CBP to determine the
employment total for the withheld states.

c.	Each of the withheld states is assigned the midpoint of the range code reported for that state.
Table 28-2 lists the range codes and midpoints.

d.	The midpoints for the states with withheld data are summed to the national level.

e.	An adjustment factor is created by dividing the number of withheld employees (calculated in
step b of this section) by the sum of the midpoints (step d).

f.	For the states with withheld employment data, the midpoint of the range for that state (step c)
is multiplied by the adjustment factor (step e) to calculate the adjusted state-level employment
for landfills.

These same steps are then followed to fill in withheld data in the county-level business patterns.

28-3


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g.	County-level data for counties with known employment are summed by state.

h.	County-level known employment is subtracted from the state total reported in state-level CBP
(or, if the state-level data are withheld, from the state total estimated using the procedure
discussed above).

i.	Each of the withheld counties is assigned the midpoint of the range code (Table 28-2).

j. The midpoints for the counties with withheld data are summed to the state level.

k. An adjustment factor is created by dividing the number of withheld employees (step h) by the
sum of the midpoints (step j).

I. For counties with withheld employment data, the midpoints (step i) are multiplied by the
adjustment factor (step k) to calculate the adjusted county-level employment for landfills.

Table 28-2: With

leld data ranges and midpoints

Employment
Code

Employment
Range

Midpoint

A

0-19

10

B

20-99

60

C

100-249

175

E

250-499

375

F

500-999

750

G

1,000-2,499

1,750

H

2,500-4,999

3,750

1

5,000-9,999

7,500

J

10,000-24,999

17,500

K

25,000-49,999

37,500

L

50,000-99,999

75,000

M

100,000+



As an example, sample county CBP data for NAICS 2123 (Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying) are
provided in Table 28-3. The values in the table and subsequent steps are for demonstration purposes
and are not representative of any specific NEI year or county.

Table 28-3: Example County Business Pattern for NAICS 2123

County
FIPS

NAICS

Employment
Code

Employment

001

2123



86

003

2123



19

005

2123



30

009

2123

B

withheld

012

2123

A

withheld

013

2123



505

015

2123



55

017

2123



60

019

2123



167

021

2123



72

023

2123

A

withheld

025

2123



144

027

2123



43

28-4


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1.	The total number of employees reported at the county level is 1,181.

2.	The state-level CBP reports 1,195 employees for NAICS 2123. This means that there are 14
employees withheld at the county level.

3.	The counties with withheld data are assigned midpoints according to the employment codes.
For example, County 009 is given a midpoint of 60 employees (since employment code B is 20-
99).

4.	The sum of the midpoints for all withheld counties is 80 employees.

5.	The adjustment factor is 14/80 = 0.175.

6.	The adjusted employment for county 009 is 60 x 0.175 = 10.5 employees.

Once county- and state-level metal and non-metal employment are known for each county, the ratio of
county to state employees (from equation 3) is multiplied by the state-level metal and non-metal
production (from equation 2) to calculate county-level production.

Where:

MPt c = MPt s x EmpFract c

(2)

MPt,c = Amount of mining material type t produced in county c, in tons

MPt,s = Amount of mining material type t (i.e. either metallic or non-metallic ore)

produced in state s, in tons
EmpFract,c = The fraction of mining employees for material type t in county c

28.2.3 Emission factors

Emissions factors are calculated separately for metallic ore mining, non-metallic ore mining, and coal
mining and are provided in the "Wagon Wheel Emission Factor Compendium" on the 2020 NEI
Supporting Data and Summaries site. This section describes those calculations and the relevant data
sources.

Metallic Ore Mining

The emissions factor for metallic ore mining includes emissions from overburden removal, drilling and
blasting, and loading and unloading activities, and are taken from emissions factors for copper ore
mining from EPA's National Air Pollutant Emission Trends Procedures Document for 1900-1996 [ref 4].
The emissions factors are applied to all three activities with PM10/TSP ratios of 0.35 for overburden
removal [ref 5], 0.81 for drilling and blasting [ref 6], and 0.43 for loading and unloading operations [ref
6],

EFPMW,m = EF0 + (B x EFb) + EFi + EFd	(3)

Where:

EFpMio,m = PM10-PRI metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

EF0 = PM10-PRI open pit overburden removal emissions factor for copper ore, in Ibs./ton
B = Fraction of total ore production that is obtained by blasting at metallic ore mines

28-5


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EFb = PM10-PRI drilling/blasting emissions factor for copper ore, in Ibs./ton

EFi = PM10-PRI loading emissions factor for copper ore, in Ibs./ton

EFd = PM10-PRI truck dumping emissions factor for copper ore, in Ibs./ton

Using values from the National Air Pollutant Emission Trends Procedures Document for 1900-1996, Table
3.1-3[ref 4], the PM10-PRI emissions factor is calculated as:

0.0548 lbs/ton = 0.0003 + (0.57625 X 0.0008) + 0.022 + 0.032	(5a)

The PM25-PRI emissions factor is assumed to be 12.5% of the PM10-PRI emissions factor.

EFPM25,m — EFPMW,m X 0.125	(4)

0.0069 = 0.0548 x 0.125	(6a)

Where:

EFpM25,m = PM25-PRI metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton
EFpMio,m = PM10-PRI metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

Non-Metallic Ore Mining

The emissions factor for non-metallic ore mining includes overburden removal, drilling and blasting, and
loading and unloading activities. The emissions factor is based on western surface coal mining
operations from AP-42 [ref 7] and a PM10/TSP ratio.

EFPM10,nm = EFv + (P x EFr) + EFa + (°-5 x (EFe + EFt))	(5)

Where:

EFpMio,nm = PM10-PRI non-metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

EFV = PM10-PRI open pit overburden removal emissions factor at western surface coal
mining operations, in Ibs./ton

D	= fraction of total ore production that is obtained by blasting at non-metallic ore

mines

EFr = PM10-PRI drilling/blasting emissions factor at western surface coal mining
operations, in Ibs./ton

EFa = PM10-PRI loading emissions factor at western surface coal mining operations, in
Ibs./ton

EFe = PM10-PRI truck unloading: end dump-coal emissions factor at western surface coal
mining operations, in Ibs./ton

EFt = PM10-PRI truck unloading: bottom dump-coal emissions factor at western surface
coal mining operations, in Ibs./ton

Applying the TSP emissions factors developed for western surface coal mining operations from AP-42
[ref 7] and a PM10/TSP ratio of 0.4 [ref 8] yields the following non-metallic ore mining emissions factor:

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0.293 lbs./ton = 0.225 + (0.61542 X 0.00005) + 0.05 + 0.5 (0.0035

+ 0.033)	( '

The PM25-PRI emissions factor is assumed to be 12.5% of the PM10-PRI emissions factor.

EFpM25,nm ~	* 0.125	(6)

0.037 lbs/ton = 0.293 X 0.125	(8a)

Where:

EFpM25,nm = PM25-PRI non-metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton
EFpMio,nm = PM10-PRI non-metallic ore mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

Coal Mining

The emissions factor for coal mining includes overburden removal, drilling and blasting, loading, and
unloading and overburden replacement activities. The amount of overburden material handled is
assumed to equal ten times the quantity of coal mined, and coal unloading is assumed to split evenly
between end-dump and bottom-dump operations. The emissions factor is based on the PMio emissions
factors developed for western surface coal mining operations from AP-42 [ref 7],

EFpmio.co = (10 X (EFt0 + EFor + EFdt)) + EFV + EFr + EFa + (0.5 X (EFe + EFt))	(7)

Where:

EFpMio,co= PM10-PRI coal mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

EFt0 = PM10-PRI emissions factor for truck loading overburden at western surface coal

mining operations, in Ibs./ton of overburden
EFor = PM10-PRI emissions factor for overburden replacement at western surface coal mining

operations, in Ibs./ton of overburden
EFdt = PM10-PRI emissions factors for truck unloading: bottom dump-overburden at western

surface coal mining operations, in Ibs./ton of overburden
EFV = PM10-PRI open pit overburden removal emissions factor at western surface coal

mining operations, in Ibs./ton
EFr = PM10-PRI drilling/blasting emissions factor at western surface coal mining operations,
in Ibs./ton

EFa = PM10-PRI loading emissions factor at western surface coal mining operations, in
Ibs./ton

EFe = PM10-PRI truck unloading: end dump-coal emissions factor at western surface coal

mining operations, in Ibs./ton
EFt = PM10-PRI truck unloading: bottom dump-coal emissions factor at western surface coal
mining operations, in Ibs./ton

Applying the PM10-PRI emissions factors developed for western surface coal mining operations [ref 7]
yields the following coal mining emissions factor:

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0.513 lbs/ton = (10 X (0.015 + 0.001 + 0.006)) + 0.225 + 0.00005 + 0.05
+ (0.5 X (0.0035 + 0.033))

(9a)

The PM25-PRI emissions factor is assumed to be 12.5% of the PM10-PRI emissions factor.

EFpM25,co — EFiq,co x 0.125

(8)

Where:

EFpm25,co= PM25-PRI coal mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton
EFpMio,co= PM10-PRI coal mining emissions factor, in Ibs./ton

PM-FILand PM2.5-PRI Emissions Factors

PM-FIL emissions factors are assumed to be the same as PM-PRI emissions factors. In reality, there is a
small amount of PM-CON emissions included in the PM-PRI emissions, but insufficient data exists to
estimate the PM-CON portion. In 2006, the EPA adopted new PM2.5/PM10 ratios for several fugitive
dust categories and concluded that the PM2.5/PM10 ratios for fugitive dust categories should be in the
range of 0.1 to 0.15 [ref 9], Consequently, a ratio of 0.125 was applied to the PM10 emissions factors to
estimate PM2.5 emissions factors for mining and quarrying. A summary of emissions factors is are
provided in the "Wagon Wheel Emission Factor Compendium" on the 2020 NEI Supporting Data and
Summaries site.

28.2.4	Controls

There are no controls assumed for this category.

28.2.5	Emissions

Emissions from mining and quarrying are calculated by multiplying the amount of mining material
produced (from equation 4 for metallic and non-metallic mining, and from the EIA [ref 2] for coal) by an
emissions factor (from Table 4-129).

Et,P,c = Annual emissions of pollutant p from mining material type t in county c, in lbs.

EFt/P = Emissions factor for pollutant p from mining material type t, in Ibs./ton of material
produced

MPt,c = Amount of mining material type t produced in county c, in tons

The final step of the process is to sum the mining emissions estimates for each pollutant in each county.
Emissions estimates are then converted from pounds to tons.

Ep,t,c = EFt,p x MPtiC

(9)

Where:

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AEPiC = ^ EPitiC X 0.0005 ton/lb	(10)

Where:

AEP/C = Annual emissions of pollutant p in county c, in tons

Et,P,c = Annual emissions of pollutant p from mining material type t in county c, in lbs.

28.2.6 Example calculations

The steps below provide sample calculations to determine the PM25-PRI emissions from mining and
quarrying operations. Constant emissions factor calculations that are used in all counties are not
repeated here.

Table 28-4 provides a summary of these calculations. Note that equations 5-10 produce constant
emissions factors that are used in all counties. Those calculations are not repeated here. The values in
these equations are demonstrating program logic and are not representative of any specific NEI year or
county.

Ta

)le 28-4: Sample calculations for estimating PM25-PRI emissions from mining and quarrying

Eq. #

Equation

Values

Result

1

ws=7T-*wus
uus

N/A

Waste data is
not withheld for
the state

2

MPt,s

f ¦ MPt.us
~ « + « X MPUS

v 1 1 n?3 short ton/

/metric ton

(3,720 + 42,900)
X (2,660,000 -h 5,060,000)

v 1 If)?'1? t°n/

/metric ton

27,015

thousand tons
metallic ore in
the state

(3,720 + 42,900)
X (2,400,000 -h 5,060,000)
X 1.1023 ton/metric ton

24,375

thousand tons
non-metallic ore
in the state

3

„ „ EmPt,c

EmpFract c —	

Empt>s

25 metallic mining employees in the count

Metallic
employee
fraction of 0.015

1,662 metallic mining employees in the sta

94 nonmetallic mining employees in the cc

Nonmetallic
employee
fraction of 0.069

1,354 nonmetallic mining employees in the

4

MPt c = MPt s x EmpFract c

27,015 tons x 0.015

27,015

thousand tons
metallic ore

24,375 tons x 0.069

112 thousand
tons non-
metallic ore

28-9


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Eq. #

Equation

Values

Result





0.0068 lbs-/ton X 27,015,167 tons

184,922.19 lbs.
PM25-PRI
emissions from
metallic ore

11

Ep,t,c = EFt,p X MPt,c

0.037 lbs-/ton X 112,039 tons

4,107.38 lbs.
PM25-PRI
emissions from
non-metallic ore





0.064^s/ton x 0 tons

0 lbs. PM25-PRI
from coal
mining

12

AEpc

= EPiC

x 0.0005 short ton/lb

184,922.19 lbs. +4,107.38 lbs. +0 lbs.
x 0.0005 ton/lb

95 tons PM25-
PRI from mining
and quarrying

28.2.7	Improvements/Changes in the 2020 NEI

No changes were made to this category. Activity data was updated to reflect the most recent, best
available data at the time of the NEI.

28.2.8	Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

Since insufficient data exists to calculate emissions for the counties in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin
Islands, emissions are based on two proxy counties in Florida: 12011, Broward County for Puerto Rico
and 12087, Monroe County for the US Virgin Islands. The total emissions in tons for these two Florida
counties are divided by their respective populations creating a tons per capita emissions factor. For each
Puerto Rico and US Virgin Island county, the tons per capita emissions factor is multiplied by the county
population (from the same year as the inventory's activity data) which served as the activity data. In
these cases, the throughput (activity data) unit and the emissions denominator unit are "EACH".

28.3 References

1.	U.S. Geologic Survey. Minerals Yearbook 2015.

2.	U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. "Detailed data from the EIA-7A
and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration", data pulled for year 2020.

3.	U.S. Census Bureau. 2020 County Business Patterns.

4.	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1998. National Air Pollutant Emission Trends Procedure
Document for 1900-1996, EPA-454/R-98-008.

5.	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, AP-42, Fifth Edition, Volume 1, Chapter 13:
Miscellaneous Sources, Section 13.2.4: Aggregate Handling and Storage Piles.

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6.	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1986. Generalized Particle Size Distributions for Use in
Preparing Size-Specific Particulate Emissions Inventories, EPA-450/4-86-013.

7.	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, AP-42, Fifth Edition, Volume 1, Chapter 11: Mineral
Products Industry, Section 11.9: Western Surface Coal Mining.

8.	United States Environmental Protection Agency, AIRS Facility Subsystem Source Classification
Codes and Emission Factor Listing for Criteria Air Pollutants, EPA-450/4-90-003, March 1990.

9.	Midwest Research Institute. 2006. Background Document for Revisions to Fine Fraction Ratios
Used for AP-42 Fugitive Dust Emission Factors. MRI Project No. 110397.

28-11


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United States	Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards	Publication No. EPA-454/R-23-001bb

Environmental Protection	Air Quality Assessment Division	March 2023

Agency	Research Triangle Park, NC


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