As a versatile metal, nickel will experience increased demand in the coming years, with a specific focus on its importance in the battery industry and its role in achieving net-zero emissions. Recognizing the need to ensure sustainable resource management, this study analyses the flow dynamics of nickel’s supply and demand by employing a modelling approach. This is done with a focus on understanding how recycling can contribute to meeting the growing nickel demand. By considering the interaction between mining production, product applications, and recycling rates, this study contributes to a better understanding of the long-term prospects for meeting the nickel demand. It can assist policymakers, industry stakeholders, and investors in making informed decisions regarding resource management and developing sustainable practices in the nickel industry. The results revealed that mining would still play an important role in the supply of nickel for at least the next 40 years. Nickel mining and recycling practices are sufficient to meet future nickel demand if sufficient recycling practices are (rapidly) implemented. Modelling results show that nickel recycling will account for 90% of the total demand (primary nickel mining accounts for the remaining 10%) between the years 2062 and 2096.

Ferrochrome (FeCr) industries are significant CO₂ emitters and will become liable for carbon tax (CT) - officially implemented in June 2019. To estimate the CT liability of an entity, the CO₂ emissions must be determined as accurately as possible. The prescribed technique to quantify these emissions, however, is overly generic and its implementation uncertain. The article evaluates the application and understanding of different approaches used for estimating GHG (CO₂) emissions by assessing the three prescribed calculation methods (tiers) in terms of the practical applicability. These default tiers for calculating the CO₂ emissions have not been practically applied to any “real-world” case studies and have also not been compared to each other in a practical industrial scenario. Despite the relative simplicity of the formulas, the practical application has inherent risks and is sensitive to errors in data and the general understanding of the system. The three prescribed methods deliver varying results, together with possible constraints that may cause the results to vary to an even larger degree. A significant contribution of the approach is realized by improved CT liability estimation. The monetary value for the entire FeCr industry in SA decreased throughout the course of this study: from an initial estimation of R562 million (USD 38 million) per annum with a 50% uncertainty (purely based on literature assumptions) to a value of R497 million (USD 34 million) with a 5% uncertainty (based on the use of prescribed methods). This study was conducted to critically assess the CO₂ emission quantification methods available to the FeCr industry. Although this study is based on the South African FeCr industry, it can be applied to international FeCr furnaces as well.

Section 12L of the South African Income Tax Act (12L) aims to incentivise businesses to become more energy-efficient. However, claiming this benefit is a complex process that can become difficult, time-consuming, and costly if not clearly understood. It is therefore important to evaluate the feasibility of potential 12L applications before any unnecessary expenses are incurred or time is wasted. This article provides a brief overview of 12L and its associated literature before presenting a simplified feasibility evaluation strategy. The strategy consists of three key evaluation steps designed to identify potential issues quickly. The identified issues are linked to specific South African National Standards (SANS) guidelines to ensure that the issues can be resolved in a 12L-compliant manner. The strategy is applied to 47 industrial case studies. Some detailed results are presented to give a practical illustration of how the strategy works. The generalised results are further used to illustrate the potential benefit in time and cost reduction.