Life cycle assessment of limestone quarrying in Algeria

The aim of this research is to achieve a life cycle assessment (LCA) model from "cradle-to-gate" of one ton of aggregate, to evaluate the environmental impact of limestone quarrying, by counting material and energy flows throughout the extraction and processing of limestone. Life cycle analysis was accomplished using SimaPro 8.5 software and ecoinvent database 3.4. Primary data collection was carried out in five different limestone quarries located in Algeria. The analysis was conducted according to the LCA standards ISO 14040-44. The results show that: global warming potential (GWP) varies from 4,315 to 46,809 kgCO2-eq./ton and it is remarkably dominated by CO2 and N2O emissions, primary energy use varies from 0,38 to 218,50 megajoules per ton. Other estimated impacts were also calculated with using a software such as ecotoxicity and eutrophication which range from 2,17E-15 to 1,54E-11 and from 2,72E-17 to 1,61E-11 species per year, respectively.