# Talc: Emissions

Why milling sets talc's small carbon footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/emissions/

Why milling sets talc's small carbon footprint What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint of the commodity at a global level, split by lifecycle phase: extraction (or farming), refining and processing, movement, usage, and recycling or end of life. Intensities are per unit of product; the global total combines intensity with world output. Also covers other environmental impacts and the main levers to cut emissions. Emission intensity 0.05 t CO2e per t range 0.02-0.15 · cradle-to-gate; derived from mining diesel plus milling at about 50-200 kWh/t (assumed; micronised and jet-milled grades at the top of the range) Global emissions per year 0.35 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · about 0.05 t CO2e/t x 6.9 Mt

Per 1 t of milled talc at plant gate (cradle-to-gate). Intensity: Indicative, derived; no public sector average found. Global total: Derived from USGS MCS 2026.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Extraction 20% Refining / processing 65% Movement 15%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Extraction** | about 0.005-0.02 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 20% | open-pit and underground mining, hand sorting by colour in India and Afghanistan | Low mechanisation in Rajasthan and Afghanistan means low fuel use per t | Indicative |
| **Refining / processing** | about 0.02-0.1 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 65% | crushing, grinding, air classification, micronising, flotation for high-purity grades, drying | Finer grades use much more electricity per t | Indicative; derived |
| **Movement** | about 0.005-0.02 t CO2e/t (indicative) | 15% | trucking Afghanistan to Pakistan; container shipping to Europe, US and Japan | Container shipping at about 10-20 g CO2 per t-km | IMO Fourth GHG Study 2020 (indicative) |
| **Usage** | not applicable directly; enabling | – | talc-filled polypropylene allows thinner, lighter car parts; cordierite catalytic converter substrates | Light-weighting and catalytic converters cut vehicle emissions, but no figure per t of talc was found | USGS MCS 2026 (uses) |
| **Recycling / end of life** | not published | – | talc stays in recycled plastics | USGS: recycling insignificant; EU end-of-life recycling input rate 16% | USGS MCS 2026; EU CRM 2023 |

#### Other environmental impacts

Health risk from asbestos contamination and talc dust: ECHA's RAC recommended Category 1B carcinogen classification in July 2025. Artisanal mining in Afghanistan has poor safety and governance.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Low-carbon electricity for mills, which dominate the footprint
- Process control to avoid over-grinding beyond the needed particle size
- Shorter routes for regional markets (Indian and Chinese talc used in Asia)
- Use in light-weighting plastics to deliver use-phase savings

#### India

India is the largest producer (1.5 Mt in 2025, USGS), mostly from Rajasthan, where low mechanisation keeps mining fuel low but milling runs on a grid of about 0.71 t CO2/MWh (CEA CO2 Baseline Database, about 0.71 t CO2/MWh (2023-24, indicative)).
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/talc/links/index.md)