An Emission Inventory in the context of mining operations — including bauxite, gold, iron ore, and diamond mining — is a comprehensive, systematically compiled database or accounting of all pollutant emissions released from a mine site and its associated processing facilities into the atmosphere over a defined period of time. Emissions catalogued in an inventory typically include particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide CO2, methane CH4, and nitrous oxide N2O), and in some instances, heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic.
In bauxite mining, significant emission sources include open-cut blasting, haul truck exhaust, bauxite drying kilns, and alumina refineries. Gold mining inventories must account for cyanide solution evaporation, roasting of sulfide ores, fuel combustion, and tailings dust. Iron ore mining emissions are heavily influenced by blasting, crushing, screening, pelletizing, and sintering operations. Diamond mining emission inventories cover kimberlite excavation, processing plant operations, and heavy equipment use. Emission inventories are required by environmental regulators, form the basis of emission reduction programs, and support environmental impact assessments (EIAs), license compliance reporting, and national greenhouse gas reporting obligations. They must be prepared using approved methodologies, verified by independent auditors, and updated regularly — typically on an annual basis.