Silicon and silica fume production | silicon production unallocated |AusLCI, U_obsolete
Unit process v00.00.001
This data is an un-modified version of ecoinvent 2.2 unit process, however its upstream processes are linked to Australian data from the AusLCI database so the calculated result will be different to ecoinvent 2.2.Original comment from ecoinvent 2.2- Translated name: MG-Silizium, ab Werk Included processes: Gate to gate inventory for production of MG-silicon from silica sand including materials, energy use, wastes and air emissions. Emissions to water are not available. Remark: MG-silicon with a purity of 99%. Used for the production of aluminium compounds, silicones and semiconductors. For the use in semiconductors further purification is necessary. CAS number: 007440-21-3; Formula: Si; Geography: Production plants in NO. Technology: Modern technology, waste heat is partly recovered and used for electricity generation and/or district heating. Time period: Time of publication. Version: 2.2 Synonyms: metal grade silicon Energy values: Undefined Percent representativeness: 50.0 Production volume: 1'000'000t in 2000. Most of European plants are located in NO. Local category: Metalle Local subcategory: Gewinnung Source file: 01112.XML Record: Data entry by: Niels Jungbluth Telephone: 0041 44 940 61 32; E-mail: esu-services@ecoinvent.org; Company: ESU; Country: CH Generator: Generator/publicator: Niels Jungbluth Telephone: 0041 44 940 61 32; E-mail: esu-services@ecoinvent.org; Company: ESU; Country: CH
- Sector
- Other Materials
- Contributor
- —
- Last updated
- 12 Oct 2026
- Reference ID
44580b93-29d6-3b87-993c-d983ff3b49e0
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Documentation
- Quantitative reference
- Silicon and silica fume production | silicon production unallocated |AusLCI, U_obsolete
- Sampling procedure
- Sampling procedure: Publication of plant specific data in a European survey.
- Creation date
- 04 Jul 2013
- Is copyright protected
- No
- Is infrastructure process
- No
- Tags
- material
- Sources
-
Photovoltaics/2009/Jungbluth, N.
Product outputs
| Flow | Amount | Unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon and silica fume production | silicon production unallocated |AusLCI, U_obsolete | 1.0 | kg | Produced in Western Australia |
Technical inputs
| Flow | Amount | Unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charcoal {GLO}| market for charcoal | Cut-off, U | 0.599155543 | kg | (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020) |
| Coke {GLO}| market for coke | Cut-off, U | 40.22 | MJ | Value as per EcoInvent 3.7 summed with value of pet-coke as per EcoInvent 3.7 as SimCoa has made efforts to eliminate pet-coke from their production method (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd., 2009). Pet-coke MJ per kg from (Department of Industry, S., 2021). |
| Electricity, high voltage {AU-WA}| market for electricity, high voltage | AusLCI, U | 45.63987959 | MJ | Annual electricity emissions from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009), MJ per CO2e value from (Department of Industry, S., 2021). High voltage used as SimCoa's power is delivered via a dedicated substation (excludes distribution losses) (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009). |
| Graphite {GLO}| market for graphite | Cut-off, U | 0.033628743 | kg | Part of electrode used in furnaces. Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| Liquefied petroleum gas {GLO}| market group for liquefied petroleum gas | Cut-off, U | 0.000237 | kg | (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009) |
| Natural gas, high pressure, Western Australia {AU}| | AusLCI, U | 0.443828586 | kg | Annual natural gas emissions from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009), MJ per CO2e value from (Department of Industry, S., 2021). |
| Oxygen, liquid {RoW}| market for oxygen, liquid | Cut-off, U | 0.02 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature |
| Silica sand {GLO}| market for silica sand | Cut-off, U | 2.756787135 | kg | Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020, Annual compliance assessment report – Silicon Project: Kemerton Smelter and Moora Mine, viewed 14 October 2021. |
| Silicone factory {GLO}| market for silicone factory | Cut-off, U | 0.00000000001 | Item(s) | (1,2,2,1,3,3); Estimation |
| Soderberg paste | Soderberg paste production |AusLCI, U | 0.005354895 | kg | Part of electrode used in furnaces. Process data source: International Aluminium Institute 2003, Life cycle assessment of aluminium: Inventory data for the worldwide primary aluminium industry, viewed on 22 February 2022, accessed at https://bauxite.world-aluminium.org/uploads/media/1274452849Global_LCI_Report_03.pdf. Soderberg paste mass source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| Steel, low-alloyed {GLO}| market for steel, low-alloyed | Cut-off, U | 0.000107098 | kg | Part of electrode used in furnaces. Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| Transport, freight, rail {AU}| | AusLCI, U | 0.205916341 | t*km | (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009) |
| Transport, freight, sea, container ship, heavy fuel oil {GLO}| market for transport, freight, sea, container ship, heavy fuel oil | Cut-off, U | 2.747870123 | t*km | (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009) |
| Transport, truck, 40t load {AU}| | AusLCI, U | 3.433653941 | t*km | (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009) |
Outputs to treatment
| Flow | Amount | Unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slag from metallurgical grade silicon production {RoW}| treatment of slag from metallurgical grade silicon production, inert material landfill | Cut-off, U | 0.0 | kg | Assumed to be zero as dross is stated as being recycled to make silico-manganese (outside the system boundary). |
Elementary flow inputs
| Flow | Sub-compartment | Amount | Unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation, mineral extraction site | — | 0.00000010547326876403474 | ha*a | Disturbance footprint in ha and annual silicon production from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020). Site lifetime estimated as 20 years. |
| Transformation, from forest, unspecified | — | 0.0000004332342867511965 | ha | Annual native vegetation clearing value in ha and annual silicon production from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020). |
| Transformation, to mineral extraction site | — | 0.0000004332342867511965 | ha | Annual native vegetation clearing value in ha and annual silicon production from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020). |
| Water, groundwater consumption | unspecified | 6.629493306 | kg | Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020, Annual compliance assessment report – Silicon Project: Kemerton Smelter and Moora Mine, viewed 14 October 2021. |
Elementary flow outputs
| Flow | Compartment | Sub-compartment | Amount | Unit | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium III | Emission to air | low population density | 0.00000155 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Antimony, ion | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.00000000785 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Arsenic, ion | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000378 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Beryllium compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.0000000503 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Boron | Emission to air | low population density | 0.000000279 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Cadmium compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000119 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Calcium (II) | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000775 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Carbon dioxide, fossil | Emission to air | low population density | 2.241953308 | kg | Scope 1 emissions from (Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009) |
| Carbon dioxide, non-fossil | Emission to air | low population density | 1.757522926 | kg | Carbon content of charcoal from (Dahmen et al., 2009) |
| Carbon monoxide, fossil | Emission to air | low population density | 0.016488574 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Carbon monoxide, non-fossil | Emission to air | low population density | 0.00062027 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature |
| Chlorine | Emission to air | low population density | 0.0000000785 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature |
| Chromium, ion | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000153 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Copper compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000918 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Cyanide | Emission to air | low population density | 0.00000687 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Estimation |
| Fluorine | Emission to air | low population density | 0.0000000388 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Formaldehyde (methyl aldehyde) | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.0000144 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Heat, waste | Emission to air | low population density | 71.267 | MJ | (2,2,2,1,1,3); Calculation based on fuel and electricity use minus 25 MJ/kg |
| Hydrogen fluoride | Emission to air | low population density | 0.0005 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Estimation |
| Hydrogen sulfide | Emission to air | low population density | 0.0005 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Estimation |
| Iron, ion | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.00000388 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Lead compounds | Emission to air | low population density | 0.00000169 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Mercury compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000186 | kg | Source: Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy 2020, 2019/2020 Report for SIMCOA OPERATIONS PTY LTD, Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd – Wellesley, WA, National Pollutant Inventory. |
| NMVOC, non-methane volatile organic compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000096 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature |
| Nickel compounds | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000503 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Nitrogen oxides | Emission to air | low population density | 0.017935354 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Particulate Matter, > 10 um | Emission to air | low population density | 0.000445849 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Polychlorinated dioxins and furans | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000000000403 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (5-Methyl chrysene) | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.0000000341 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Potassium (I) | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.00006203 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Silicon | Emission to air | low population density | 0.0075134 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, SiO2 in dust |
| Sodium (I) | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000000775 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| Sulfur dioxide | Emission to air | low population density | 0.007476188 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
| Tin ion | Emission to air | low population density | 0.00000000785 | kg | (3,4,3,3,1,5); Literature, in dust |
| VOC, volatile organic compounds, unspecified origin | Emissions to air | low. pop. | 0.000111238 | kg | National Pollutant Inventory (Australian Government 2020) |
Parameters
| Name | Value | Formula | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| m_Dross | 0.056603774 | — | Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| c_Dross | — | — | Assumed as neg. |
| An_Silicon_Prod | 44087000.0 | — | Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2020, 'Annual compliance assessment report, Silicon Project: Kemerton Smelter and Moora Mine'. |
| All_Silicon | 0.9726302768251285 | (c_Silicon*m_Silicon)/(c_Silicon*m_Silicon+c_Silica*m_Silica+c_Dross*m_Dross) | Value allocation of silicon |
| c_Silica | 354.0 | — | $/tonne - Sensitivity Analysis of Life Cycle Impacts Distribution Methods Choice Applied to Silica Fume Production, J F G Timm et al 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 323 012131 |
| All_Dross | — | (c_Dross*m_Dross)/(c_Silicon*m_Silicon+c_Silica*m_Silica+c_Dross*m_Dross) | Value allocation of dross. |
| m_Silica | 0.188679245 | — | Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| c_Silicon | 3145.0 | — | $/tonne - Sensitivity Analysis of Life Cycle Impacts Distribution Methods Choice Applied to Silica Fume Production, J F G Timm et al 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 323 012131 |
| Site_Lifetime_inYears | 20.0 | — | — |
| m_Silicon | 0.754716981 | — | Source: Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd 2009, S.38 Referral Documentation: Addition of a 4th submerged arc furnace at the kemerton smelter of simcoa operations pty ltd., viewed 14 October 2021. |
| All_Silica | 0.02736972317487148 | (c_Silica*m_Silica)/(c_Silicon*m_Silicon+c_Silica*m_Silica+c_Dross*m_Dross) | Value allocation of silica |