Abstract
The stocks and flows of silver throughout the Asian economy for 1997 have been quantified, with major flows examined over their entire life cycle, including mining, production, fabrication, and manufacture, product use, and waste management. By compiling the findings of 11 country-level material flow analyses, a regional analysis was created. The reliability and availability of the data varied, with the most confidence given to the earlier life stages and the most uncertainty existing later. Overall, Asia is a net importer of silver, requiring nearly 7000 Mg of silver in 1997. Approximately 2200 Mg Ag are mined, and production waste totals about 640 Mg Ag. The flow of silver into use equals 9900 Mg Ag, with a considerable build-up of 7100 Mg Ag entering in-use stock. Silver waste sent directly to the environment, in addition to landfilled waste, totals 1600 Mg Ag. Much variation exists when examining country-level silver flows on a per capita basis. India and Thailand’s fondness for silver jewelry greatly increases their silver flows into use and in-use stock. Japan’s high overall consumption reflects its high GDP per capita. Regionally, a significant potential exists to tap the silver contained in the in-use stocks and to enhance the recycling rates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
RJ Lifset RB Gordon TE Graedel S Spatari M Bertram (2002) ArticleTitleWhere has all the copper gone? The stocks and flows project. Part 1 JOM – J Min Met Mat S 54 IssueID10 21–26
S Spatari M Bertram K Fuse TE Graedel H Rechberger (2002) ArticleTitleThe contemporary European copper cycle: 1-year stocks and flows Ecol Econ 42 IssueID1–2 27–42 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0921-8009(02)00103-9
A Kapur M Bertram S Spatari K Fuse TE Graedel (2002) ArticleTitleThe contemporary copper cycle for Asia J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 5 143–156 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s10163-003-0096-4
TE Graedel RJ Klee (2002) ArticleTitleGetting serious about sustainability Environ Sci Technol 36 523–529 Occurrence Handle10.1021/es0106016 Occurrence Handle11878365
E Hansen C Lassen (2003) ArticleTitleExperience with the use of substance flow analysis in Denmark J Ind Ecol 6 IssueID3–4 201–219 Occurrence Handle10.1162/108819802766269601
P Baccini PH Brunner (1991) Metabolism of the anthroposphere Springer New York
S Jasinski (1995) ArticleTitleThe material flow of mercury in the United States Resour Conserv Recy 15 145–179 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0921-3449(95)00032-1
M Reuter (1998) ArticleTitleThe simulation of industrial ecosystems Miner Eng 11 891–918 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0892-6875(98)00078-8
Y Moriguchi (1999) ArticleTitleRecycling and waste management from the viewpoint of material flow accounting J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 1 2–9
Eurostat (2001) Economy-wide material flow accounts and dervied indicators: a methodological guide Office for the Official Publications of European Communities Luxembourg
S Bringezu (2003) Industrial ecology and material flow analysis D Bourg S Erkman (Eds) Perspectives on industrial ecology Greenleaf Publishing Vienna
VM Thomas TE Graedel (2003) ArticleTitleResearch issues in sustainable consumption: toward an analytical framework for materials and the environment Environ Sci Technol 37 5383–5388 Occurrence Handle10.1021/es034475c Occurrence Handle14700323
TE Graedel D Van Beers M Bertram K Fuse RB Gordon A Gritsinin A Kapur RJ Klee RJ Lifset L Memon H Rechberger S Spatari D Vexler (2004) ArticleTitleMultilevel cycle of anthropogenic copper Environ Sci Technol 38 1242–1252 Occurrence Handle14998044
RB Gordon TE Graedel M Bertram K Fuse R Lifset H Rechberger S Spatari (2003) ArticleTitleThe characterization of technological zinc cycles Resour Conserv Recy 39 107–135 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0921-3449(02)00166-0
S Spatari M Bertram K Fuse TE Graedel E Shelov (2003) ArticleTitleThe contemporary European zinc cycle: 1-year stocks and flows Resour Conserv Recy 39 137–160 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0921-3449(02)00168-4
TE Graedel BR Allenby (2003) Industrial ecology EditionNumber2nd edn. Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs
SE Kesler (1994) Mineral resources, economics, and the environment Macmillan New York
Silver Institute (2004) http://www.silverinstitute.org/price/priceny.php, accessed March 30, 2004
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (1990) Toxicological profile for silver. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Atlanta
Lanzano T, Bertram M, DePalo M, Wagner C, Zyla K, Graedel T (2005) The contemporary European silver cycle: 1- year stocks and flows. Resour Conserv Recy (in press)
Henderson K (2003) The contemporary silver cycle for CIS countries: using industrial ecology to evaluate silver flows. J Young Invest 9 (1):available online at http://www.jyi.org/volumes/volume9/issue1/articles/henderson.html
J Johnson J Jirikowic M Bertram D van Beers RB Gordon K Henderson RJ Klee T Lanzano R Lifset L Oetjen TE Graedel (2005) ArticleTitleContemporary anthropogenic silver cycle: A multilevel analysis Environ Sci Technol 39 4655–4665 Occurrence Handle10.1021/es048319x Occurrence Handle16047806
World Bank (2003) http://www.worldbank.org, accessed July–October 2003
United Nations Comtrade Database (2003) http://unstats.un.org/unsd/comtrade/, accessed July–October 2003
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2003) http://www.cia.gov, accessed July–October 2003
InstitutionalAuthorNameGold Fields Mineral Services Ltd. (2002) World Silver Survey The Silver Institute Washington, DC
Wagner C (2002) Methodology and documentation to determine silver flows in production and waste management systems of STAF-Europe 1997. Unpublished report. Center for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven
P Tse (1997) The mineral industry of China United States Geological Survey Reston
Errecart J, Graedel TE (2002) A characterization of the year 2000 United States silver cycle. Unpublished report. Center for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven
R Barlett (1994) Solution mining Gordon and Breach Philadelphia
CPM Group (2001) CPM group’s silver survey 2001 CPM Group New York
Hilliard H (2003) Circular 1196-N: silver recycling in the United States. United States Geological Survey, Reston
B Langer (1994) ArticleTitleRecycling von Elektronikschrott (in German) Metall 48 880–885
W Siemers H Vest (1999) Environmental handbook: environmentally sound electroscrap disposal and recycling Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit Eschborn, Germany
(2000) Abwasserrelevante Silberstrome in Wien, Im Auftrag der Magistratsabteilung 22 (in German). Umweltschutz der Stadt Wein, Ressourcen Management Agentur, Austria
Fabian W, Verfahren zur Restmetallabtrennung aus den Ruckstanden von Elektronikstrott-Recycelprozessen (1997) http://www.wefab.de/fabian/elkrec01.htm, accessed July 2003
Hoornweg D, Thomas L (1999) What a waste: solid waste management in Asia. World Bank, Urban Development Sector Unit, Washington, DC
United Nations (2000) State of the environment in Asia and the Pacific. New York
World Health Organization (2003) http://www.who.int/en/, accessed July 2003
Vest H, Jantsch F (1999). Umwelt-Handbuch: Umweltvertraegliche Batterieentsorgung und verwertung. Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (in German). Eschborn, Germany
China Education and Resource Network (2001) http://www.edu.cn/20011120/3010913.shtml, accessed July 1, 2003
Barron T, Mercury Headworks Analysis for 2000, Palo Alto RWQCP (2001) http://www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/cleanbay/pdf/mercmassbal.pdf, accessed August 31, 2004
Tse P (2002) The mineral industry of North Korea. In: Area reports – International – Asia and the Pacific. US Geological Survey Mineral Yearbook 2001, v III, p 14.1–14.2
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johnson, J., Bertram, M., Henderson, K. et al. The contemporary Asian silver cycle: 1-year stocks and flows. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 7, 93–103 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-005-0132-7
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-005-0132-7