Powders and flakes of nickel

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR applies to elemental nickel powders and flake-shaped nickel powders delivered at the producing factory gate. It covers carbonyl decomposition, pressure hydrogen reduction from purified nickel solution, wet mechanical flaking of nickel powder, route-specific abatement, drying, classification, blending, and sale packaging when performed by the reporting facility.

It excludes nickel ores and concentrates, nickel matte, nickel oxide sinter and other upstream metallurgical intermediates as reference products; compact unwrought nickel, nickel alloy powder unless separately declared and compositionally modelled, nickel-coated particles, nickel-containing pastes, briquettes, sintered parts, catalysts, battery electrodes, and downstream powder-metallurgy products. Mining, concentration, smelting, and production of purchased feedstocks are represented by upstream datasets.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.metal-products-machinery-and-equipment.basic-metals.powders-and-flakes-of-nickel
classification_refs	CPC 3.0: 41521, Powders and flakes of nickel
covered_products	Elemental nickel powder; flake-shaped elemental nickel powder; declared grades differing in particle-size distribution, morphology, purity, apparent density, or surface condition
excluded_products	Nickel ore or concentrate; nickel matte or oxide sinter as reference product; compact unwrought nickel; nickel alloy powder not separately compositionally modelled; nickel-coated particles; pastes; briquettes; sintered or fabricated parts
representative_product	Saleable elemental nickel powder or flake powder meeting the declared specification
production_route	Carbonyl decomposition; pressure hydrogen reduction from purified nickel solution; wet mechanical flaking of nickel powder; another route only when its complete process map and route-specific exchanges are disclosed
market_state	Dry saleable powder or flake powder in declared packaging, with moisture, passivation, particle-size distribution, morphology, purity, and packaging stated

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Supply of saleable elemental nickel powder or flake powder with declared technical quality
How much	1,000 kg net mass of saleable product, excluding packaging
How well	Conforming to the declared nickel content, alloy status, particle-size distribution, morphology, apparent density, surface treatment or passivation, moisture, and contamination limits
How long or cycle	One production lot at factory gate; no use duration is assigned to the semi-finished material
reference_flow_link	reference_nickel_powder_flake

Field	Value
Reference amount	1,000 kg net saleable product
Reference product flow	Powders and flakes of nickel (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	elemental nickel or declared nickel alloy status; powder or flake morphology; production route; nickel content and relevant impurities; particle-size distribution; apparent density when specified; surface treatment or passivation; moisture; geographic and temporal scope; recycled-feed share; packaging type; net-versus-gross mass basis

All required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, the product description, or an equivalent field. Missing qualifiers make the reference-flow definition incomplete.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_mass	Reference product and mass-based exchanges	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Normalize all reported exchanges to 1,000 kg net saleable nickel powder or flake; exclude packaging mass from the reference amount.
gas_basis	Gaseous hydrogen, carbon monoxide, natural gas, and stack flows	Mass or Volume	kg or m3	Preserve the measured basis. When converting volume to mass, report gas composition, pressure, temperature, moisture basis, and conversion factor.
electricity_basis	Electricity	Net calorific value	MJ	Preserve metered electrical energy and document any kWh-to-MJ conversion; do not treat electricity as mass.
metal_balance_basis	Nickel-bearing feeds, saleable product, co-products, wastes, and direct nickel releases	Mass	kg	Report both wet or gross mass and nickel content where relevant; calculate contained nickel on a consistent analytical and moisture basis.

5. System Boundary

The foreground boundary begins with nickel-bearing feed, process chemicals, utilities, and packaging crossing the reporting-facility boundary and ends with saleable nickel powder or flake, co-products, wastes sent to treatment or recovery, and elementary releases. Internal carbon monoxide, ammonium sulfate, water, solvent, off-specification powder, and captured-dust recycles are not double-counted as external exchanges; gross recovery and makeup records are retained.

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Factory-gate nickel-bearing feed: nickel monoxide for the carbonyl route, purified nickel-sulfate solution for pressure hydrogen reduction, or nickel powder for flaking; chemical form, purity, moisture, supplier, recycled content, and custody boundary are declared
starting_condition_role	Upstream product input to the foreground powder-production or flaking process
product_classification_scope	Elemental nickel powders and flakes; upstream ores, mattes, oxide sinters, and compact nickel remain separate product categories
recursive_input_rule	Purchased nickel powder used to make nickel flakes is recorded once as an upstream product input with its supplier dataset; internally produced powder transferred to flaking is an internal transfer and is not recursively expanded or counted as an external input
upstream_dataset_requirement	Use route-, geography-, technology-, recycled-content-, composition-, and product-state-appropriate datasets for every purchased nickel feed, chemical, energy carrier, packaging component, and off-site treatment service
disclosure	Declare route, feed state, internal recycle loops, abatement configuration, product morphology and specification, allocation decisions, included packaging, and any process step operated by another organization

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
boundary_factory_gate	Foreground production	Include route-specific powder formation, abatement, finishing, internal recovery, and sale packaging operated by the reporting facility; represent upstream feed production and off-site treatment with separate datasets.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017; epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2
boundary_route_disclosure	Route selection	Include only route processes that physically occur and disclose omitted alternatives; do not average carbonyl, hydrogen-reduction, and flaking routes without production-weighted records.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017; epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2
boundary_recycle	Internal recycles	Exclude internal recycle loops from external totals while retaining gross circulation, recovery, purge, and makeup records sufficient to reconcile mass and emissions.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
carbonyl_powder	Carbonyl nickel powder production and off-gas treatment	conditional	Include when nickel carbonyl is formed and thermally decomposed to powder at the reporting facility.	Foreground powder formation and abatement	Per 1,000 kg net saleable product attributable to this route
hydrogen_reduction_powder	Pressure hydrogen reduction of purified nickel solution	conditional	Include when purified nickel solution is reduced with hydrogen to metallic powder at the reporting facility.	Foreground powder formation, solution recovery, and abatement	Per 1,000 kg net saleable product attributable to this route
wet_flaking	Wet mechanical flaking	conditional	Include for flake products made by milling nickel powder in white spirit or an equivalent separately modelled liquid medium.	Foreground morphology conversion, separation, and drying	Per 1,000 kg net saleable flake product
finishing_packaging	Drying, classification, blending, and packaging	required	Include steps performed for the declared saleable product; record non-applicable direct-fired drying or water rows as zero with evidence.	Foreground finishing and reference-product output	Per 1,000 kg net saleable product

Process: Carbonyl nickel powder production and off-gas treatment (carbonyl_powder)

Inputs

Product flows

Nickel monoxide feed (carbonyl_nickel_monoxide)

Nickel monoxide crosses the carbonyl-process boundary as the route-specific nickel feed.

• Selected flow: Nickel monoxide 3e78d4a3-6ff2-4726-b43c-d761ff8624b0
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Measured delivered mass on a declared moisture basis, with nickel content and internal-return share recorded.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Hydrogen for oxide reduction (carbonyl_hydrogen)

Hydrogen crosses the boundary as the reducing gas for converting the oxide feed to impure nickel metal.

• Selected flow: Industrial hydrogen (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net hydrogen makeup entering oxide reduction; separately record recovered or purged hydrogen.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Carbon monoxide makeup (carbonyl_carbon_monoxide)

Carbon monoxide makeup crosses the boundary to replace losses from the closed carbonyl circulation loop.

• Selected flow: Carbon Monoxide 69422d71-f1a5-4c70-bb58-126262b8ddc2
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net carbon monoxide makeup after recovered carbon monoxide recycle; retain gross circulation and purge records.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Electricity (carbonyl_electricity)

Electricity crosses the boundary to operate the carbonyl route and its gas-handling and abatement equipment.

• Selected flow: Electricity 890a70b7-b677-4e2a-8a1b-7d017e0a10ae
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Meter electricity attributable to reduction, carbonyl formation, separation, decomposition, gas handling, filtration, and auxiliaries.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources:

Natural gas for afterburner (carbonyl_natural_gas)

Natural gas crosses the boundary as the separately metered afterburner fuel.

• Selected flow: natural gas in the gaseous state 4f19ca0e-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Volume / m3
• Amount rule: Meter natural gas supplied to the afterburner; record reference conditions and do not combine recovered hydrogen with purchased natural gas.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Process water (carbonyl_process_water)

Process water crosses the boundary as net makeup for cooling, dust handling, and associated operations.

• Selected flow: Process Water 94a04f7e-2d5c-41f0-b182-d54a3b373a02
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net process-water makeup for gas cooling, dust slurrying, and associated operations; exclude recirculated water from external makeup.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Outputs

Waste flows

Nickel monoxide filter dust sent off-site (carbonyl_nickel_oxide_filter_dust)

Captured nickel monoxide dust crosses the boundary only when transferred off-site for recovery or disposal.

• Selected flow: Nickel monoxide filter dust from carbonyl off-gas treatment (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh captured nickel monoxide dust leaving for recovery or disposal; exclude dust internally returned without crossing the boundary.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Elementary flows

Residual fossil carbon monoxide to air (carbonyl_co_fossil_air)

Residual fossil carbon monoxide crosses the environmental boundary after carbonyl off-gas treatment.

• Selected flow: carbon monoxide (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-924e-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate mass from validated post-abatement stack concentration and dry-normal gas flow over matching operating time.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Fossil carbon dioxide to air (carbonyl_co2_fossil_air)

Fossil carbon dioxide crosses the environmental boundary from direct fuel combustion and carbon monoxide oxidation.

• Selected flow: carbon dioxide (fossil) 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-923d-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate direct fossil carbon dioxide from metered fossil fuel and oxidized fossil carbon monoxide using a documented carbon balance; exclude upstream electricity emissions.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Nickel carbonyl to air (carbonyl_nickel_carbonyl_air)

Any monitored residual nickel carbonyl crosses the environmental boundary as a chemically specific air emission.

• Selected flow: Nickel carbonyl emitted to air (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate any controlled residual release from validated monitoring or documented detection-limit treatment; never substitute total elemental nickel.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Nickel to air (carbonyl_nickel_air)

Elemental nickel in post-filter particulate matter crosses the environmental boundary as an air emission.

• Selected flow: Nickel emitted to air, unspecified compartment (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate elemental nickel mass from validated post-filter particulate concentration and stack-flow records.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_carbonyl_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Process: Pressure hydrogen reduction of purified nickel solution (hydrogen_reduction_powder)

Inputs

Product flows

Nickel sulfate feed (hydred_nickel_sulfate)

Nickel sulfate crosses the pressure-reduction boundary in the purified nickel-bearing feed solution.

• Selected flow: Nickel Sulfate 7249a3b5-f72e-4195-af83-4c058ac5cc94
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Record nickel-sulfate-equivalent mass and solution mass, concentration, nickel assay, moisture, and upstream purification boundary.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Hydrogen (hydred_hydrogen)

Hydrogen crosses the boundary as the reducing gas supplied to pressure autoclaves.

• Selected flow: Industrial hydrogen (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net hydrogen supplied to reduction autoclaves, with pressure, purity, recovered gas, and purge disclosed.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Ammonia (hydred_ammonia)

Ammonia crosses the boundary as route-specific reagent and acid-neutralization input.

• Selected flow: Ammonia f5325a9a-4bdc-46ea-b878-b88700767ddd
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Record net ammonia makeup on an anhydrous-NH3 equivalent basis and disclose supplied concentration and state.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Ammonium sulfate makeup (hydred_ammonium_sulfate_makeup)

External ammonium sulfate crosses the boundary only as net route makeup after internal recovery.

• Selected flow: Ammonium sulfate 8c6f0cbb-16d7-4dc9-8d55-e8dea17d7faf
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Record net external ammonium sulfate makeup; internal recovered material is an internal recycle unless it leaves as a co-product.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Electricity (hydred_electricity)

Electricity crosses the boundary to operate pressure reduction, separation, recovery, and abatement equipment.

• Selected flow: Electricity 890a70b7-b677-4e2a-8a1b-7d017e0a10ae
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Meter electricity for solution handling, autoclaves, gas compression, filtration, crystallization, drying, scrubbing, and auxiliaries.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources:

Process water (hydred_process_water)

Process water crosses the boundary as net makeup for solution preparation, washing, and scrubbing.

• Selected flow: Process Water 94a04f7e-2d5c-41f0-b182-d54a3b373a02
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net process-water makeup for solution preparation, washing, and scrubbing; exclude internal recirculation.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Outputs

Product flows

Recovered ammonium sulfate co-product (hydred_ammonium_sulfate_output)

Recovered ammonium sulfate crosses the boundary only when sold or transferred as a co-product.

• Selected flow: Ammonium sulfate 8c6f0cbb-16d7-4dc9-8d55-e8dea17d7faf
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh dry ammonium sulfate leaving as a saleable or transferred co-product; record moisture, purity, and destination.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Elementary flows

Ammonia to air (hydred_ammonia_air)

Residual ammonia crosses the environmental boundary after gas scrubbing.

• Selected flow: ammonia 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-a2a9-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate post-scrubber release from validated concentration and gas-flow records.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Nickel to air (hydred_nickel_air)

Elemental nickel in post-abatement particulate matter crosses the environmental boundary as an air emission.

• Selected flow: Nickel emitted to air, unspecified compartment (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate elemental nickel from validated post-abatement particulate concentration and stack-flow records.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Nickel to water (hydred_nickel_water)

Elemental nickel crosses the environmental boundary in final water discharged by the reporting facility.

• Selected flow: nickel 08a91e70-3ddc-11dd-96ce-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate elemental nickel in final discharged water from validated concentration and discharge-volume records; separately model off-site treatment when applicable.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_hydred_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Process: Wet mechanical flaking (wet_flaking)

Inputs

Product flows

Nickel powder feed (flake_nickel_powder_input)

Purchased elemental nickel powder crosses the boundary as feed to wet flaking; internal powder is an internal transfer.

• Selected flow: Elemental nickel powder (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh purchased nickel powder; treat internally produced powder as an internal transfer and retain its mass only for process reconciliation.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable flake product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_flaking_records
• Sources: epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2

White spirit milling liquid (flake_white_spirit)

White spirit crosses the boundary as net milling-liquid makeup after internal solvent recovery.

• Selected flow: White spirit and special boiling point industrial spirits 5fb93398-c4c6-4b60-bb16-ca956bc35985
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net white-spirit makeup after recovered-solvent recycle; disclose grade and recovered fraction.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable flake product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_flaking_records
• Sources: epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2

Electricity (flake_electricity)

Electricity crosses the boundary to operate milling, separation, drying, vacuum, and auxiliary equipment.

• Selected flow: Electricity 890a70b7-b677-4e2a-8a1b-7d017e0a10ae
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Meter electricity for milling, solid-liquid separation, vacuum systems, drying, protective-gas handling, and auxiliaries.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable flake product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_flaking_records
• Sources: epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2

Outputs

Waste flows

Spent white spirit sent off-site (flake_spent_white_spirit)

Spent white spirit crosses the boundary only when transferred off-site for recovery or disposal.

• Selected flow: Spent white spirit from nickel flake milling (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh solvent-bearing liquid leaving for recovery or disposal; exclude internally recovered solvent from external waste.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable flake product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_flaking_records
• Sources: epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2

Process: Drying, classification, blending, and packaging (finishing_packaging)

Inputs

Product flows

Electricity (finish_electricity)

Electricity crosses the boundary to operate product finishing, dust collection, and packaging equipment.

• Selected flow: Electricity 890a70b7-b677-4e2a-8a1b-7d017e0a10ae
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Meter electricity for drying, screening, classification, blending, dust collection, conveying, and packaging.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources:

Natural gas for direct-fired drying (finish_natural_gas)

Natural gas crosses the boundary only when direct-fired drying or heating is used.

• Selected flow: natural gas in the gaseous state 4f19ca0e-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Volume / m3
• Amount rule: Meter natural gas only when direct-fired drying or heating is used; otherwise record zero with equipment evidence.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources:

Process water (finish_process_water)

Process water crosses the boundary only when finishing or dust-control equipment consumes net makeup water.

• Selected flow: Process Water 94a04f7e-2d5c-41f0-b182-d54a3b373a02
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Meter net process-water makeup used by finishing or dust-control equipment; otherwise record zero with equipment evidence.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources:

Steel packaging drum (finish_steel_drum)

Steel drums cross the boundary as a concrete packaging component supplied with the product.

• Selected flow: Steel packaging drum (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh drums supplied for the reference product, including lids and closures; record substantiated reusable-drum cycles.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources:

Polyethylene bag liner (finish_polyethylene_bag)

Polyethylene bags cross the boundary as a concrete liner or packaging component supplied with the product.

• Selected flow: Polyethylene bag 10647902-9822-4b06-bc95-f1f30f10c261
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Weigh bags or liners supplied with the reference product; record zero only when another separately modelled packaging configuration is documented.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources:

Outputs

Product flows

Saleable powders and flakes of nickel (reference_nickel_powder_flake)

Conforming nickel powder or flake crosses the boundary as the reference product at the factory gate.

• Selected flow: Powders and flakes of nickel (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Fixed reference output of 1,000 kg net saleable product meeting the declared specification; packaging mass is excluded.
• Value mode: Fixed value (fixed_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Identity reference (identity_reference)
• Sources:

Elementary flows

Nickel to air from finishing (finish_nickel_air)

Elemental nickel in post-abatement finishing exhaust crosses the environmental boundary as an air emission.

• Selected flow: Nickel emitted to air, unspecified compartment (Tiangong UUID unresolved)
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Calculate elemental nickel from validated post-abatement particulate concentration and exhaust-flow records for finishing.
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1,000 kg net saleable product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_finishing_records
• Sources: eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
allocation_subdivide_routes	Multiple powder routes or integrated flaking	Prefer process subdivision and measured route-specific inputs, outputs, and abatement records; do not allocate a blended facility total before reasonable subdivision.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017; epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2
allocation_internal_recycle	Carbon monoxide, hydrogen, solvent, water, ammonium sulfate, dust, and off-specification powder recycles	Treat internal recovery as an internal transfer: report external makeup, purge, sale, and disposal once and retain gross recycle data for mass-balance validation.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
allocation_coproduct	Saleable ammonium sulfate or other exported nickel-bearing material	After subdivision, apply a declared physical relationship only when it reflects causality; otherwise apply economic allocation using a representative price period and report a no-allocation or alternative sensitivity result.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
allocation_waste	Materials sent for off-site recovery or disposal	Do not assign avoided primary-production credit inside the foreground inventory unless the adopted LCA system model explicitly requires it; disclose waste status, treatment route, and any burden or credit convention.

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_carbonyl_records	carbonyl_powder	Carbonyl-route feeds, utilities, wastes, and air releases	Meters, weigh tickets, batch logs, assays, stack monitoring, abatement logs	feed mass and Ni assay; H2 and CO makeup/recycle/purge; electricity; natural gas; water; product; dust; stack concentration, flow, time, moisture, oxygen and reference conditions	Reconcile calibrated meters and batch records; calculate stack masses from validated concentration and flow	kg, m3, MJ, kg Ni, mg/Nm3, Nm3	Batch or continuous; monthly and annual aggregation	At least 12 representative consecutive months unless a shorter campaign is justified	All carbonyl equipment and shared abatement apportioned by measured drivers	Sum external exchanges; subtract documented internal returns only; normalize by conforming net product	Calibrations, assay QA/QC, stack reports, detection limits, downtime and mass-balance reconciliation
cp_hydred_records	hydrogen_reduction_powder	Solution-reduction feeds, utilities, co-product, and releases	Delivery records, solution flowmeters, batch logs, assays, gas meters, crystallizer, stack and effluent monitoring	solution mass/volume/concentration/Ni assay; H2; NH3; ammonium sulfate; electricity; water; product and co-product; exhaust concentration/flow; effluent volume and Ni	Reconcile batch and utility records; convert solution quantities to declared chemical equivalents; calculate emissions from validated concentration and flow	kg, m3, MJ, kg Ni, mg/Nm3, mg/L	Each batch or continuous; monthly and annual aggregation	At least 12 representative consecutive months unless a shorter campaign is justified	All reduction, crystallization, drying, scrubbing, and shared equipment	Sum external inputs and boundary-crossing outputs; normalize by conforming net product	Calibrations, laboratory methods, certificates, scrubber records, detection limits, and nickel balance
cp_flaking_records	wet_flaking	Nickel powder, white spirit, electricity, and spent solvent	Weigh tickets, batch sheets, solvent tank inventory, recovery records, electricity meters	powder feed; solvent charge, recovery, makeup, purge and off-site waste; electricity; flake output; moisture	Close solvent and nickel balances by batch and period	kg, MJ	Each batch; monthly and annual aggregation	At least 12 representative consecutive months unless a shorter campaign is justified	All milling, separation, drying, and solvent-recovery equipment	Count purchased feed and net solvent makeup once; normalize by conforming net flake output	Calibrations, solvent reconciliation, waste manifests, and product assay
cp_finishing_records	finishing_packaging	Finishing utilities, packaging, reference output, and nickel release	Meters, packaging issue records, production and quality logs, stack tests	electricity; natural gas; water; drum and liner mass; gross/net product; rejects/recycle; particle size, moisture and Ni assay; exhaust concentration and flow	Reconcile saleable output to finishing input and rejects; calculate emissions from validated concentration and flow	kg, MJ, m3, kg Ni, mg/Nm3	Each lot or continuous; monthly and annual aggregation	At least 12 representative consecutive months unless a shorter campaign is justified	All drying, classification, blending, dust collection, and packaging equipment	Normalize external exchanges to 1,000 kg conforming net product	Calibrations, packaging specifications, quality certificates, stack tests, reject logs, and product mass balance

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
calc_normalize_reference	Every inventory exchange	normalized amount = reporting-period boundary-crossing amount / net conforming product mass × 1,000 kg	Exchange amount; net conforming product mass	Amount per 1,000 kg reference product
calc_contained_nickel	Nickel-bearing materials	contained nickel = dry material mass × measured nickel mass fraction	Gross mass; moisture; nickel assay	kg contained nickel
calc_stack_release	CO, nickel carbonyl, nickel, and ammonia air releases	release mass = validated concentration × dry-normal exhaust volume over matching operating time, with conversions documented	Concentration; gas flow; time; moisture; reference conditions; detection-limit treatment	kg emitted substance	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
calc_water_release	Nickel to water	release mass = final-effluent nickel concentration × discharged water volume over the matching period	Nickel concentration; discharge volume; below-detection treatment	kg nickel to water	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
calc_fossil_co2	Direct fossil carbon dioxide	Sum carbon-balance CO2 from combusted fossil natural gas and oxidized fossil CO; exclude upstream electricity and material emissions	Fuel carbon; oxidized CO; oxidation factors	kg fossil CO2 to air	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_product_identity	Reference product	Report composition, powder/flake morphology, particle-size distribution, apparent density when specified, surface condition, moisture, route, lot, and net packaging-excluded mass.	Specification, certificate of analysis, particle-size report, and lot records
dq_route_completeness	Process map	Demonstrate which route processes occurred and include every site-operated formation, abatement, finishing, recycle, and packaging step.	Process flow diagram, equipment list, and operating records
dq_temporal	Foreground inventory	Use at least 12 representative consecutive months or justify a shorter complete campaign; disclose shutdowns, abnormal events, and utilization.	Dated meter, batch, maintenance, and production records
dq_measurement	Mass, energy, gas, and emissions	Use calibrated instruments and validated methods; disclose reference conditions, moisture basis, detection limits, substitutions, and estimation hierarchy.	Calibration and QA/QC records, laboratory methods, and monitoring reports
dq_completeness	Nickel, carbon, solvent, and ammonium sulfate balances	Reconcile feed, product, co-product, recycle, waste, and release totals; investigate residuals rather than hiding them in an unspecified flow.	Signed balance worksheet and corrective-action record
dq_background	Purchased inputs and off-site services	Match geography, technology, product state, concentration, recycled content, electricity mix, gas basis, and treatment route; disclose proxies.	Dataset metadata and supplier records

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
validate_reference_flow	Product output	Confirm exactly 1,000 kg net saleable powder or flake output, excluding packaging, and verify all required qualifiers.	un-cpc-3-0-structure-2025
validate_route_inventory	Process map and inventory	Confirm every included process has route-specific atomic inputs, outputs, abatement, and collection evidence; reject umbrella utilities, chemicals, wastes, or emissions.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017; epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2
validate_nickel_balance	Nickel-bearing exchanges	Reconcile contained nickel across feeds, product, co-products, wastes, internal recycle, and direct releases and investigate residuals.
validate_carbonyl_safety_emissions	Carbonyl route	Require CO and nickel-carbonyl monitoring or justified detection-limit treatment, afterburner and filter operating evidence, and separately reported elemental nickel particulates.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
validate_no_double_counting	Recycles and backgrounds	Confirm internal recycles are not external inputs or outputs and upstream production emissions are not copied into direct foreground emissions.	eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017
validate_unresolved_uuid	UUID-empty rows	Block automatic identity resolution until an exact public state-100 Tiangong flow is directly audited; retain concrete name, property, unit, route condition, and unresolved status.

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	Foreground factory-gate production dataset for a declared grade of elemental nickel powder or flake powder
downstream_use	secondary_dataset; background_dataset after review and publication
allowed_use	Cradle-to-gate product systems using a route-, grade-, geography-, technology-, recycled-content-, and time-representative nickel powder or flake input
excluded_use	Nickel ore, concentrate, matte, oxide sinter, compact nickel, undeclared alloy powder, coated particles, paste, briquettes, sintered parts, or a route-average without production weighting
required_metadata	Route; geography; period; feed identity and recycled content; composition; morphology; particle-size distribution; surface treatment; moisture; apparent density when relevant; net product mass; packaging; abatement; allocation; backgrounds; unresolved UUIDs
required_quality_disclosure	Coverage, calibration, assays, detection limits, mass-balance residuals, recycle treatment, allocation sensitivity, proxy use, shared-equipment apportionment, abnormal operations, and range-evidence gaps
update_trigger	Material change in route, feed, grade or morphology, recycled content, energy system, abatement, solvent recovery, packaging, allocation, facility scope, or data age beyond the program interval

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
un-cpc-3-0-structure-2025	Official guidance (official_guidance)	United Nations Statistics Division, CPC Version 3.0 Structure, 30 June 2025, https://unstats.un.org/unsd/classifications/Econ/Download/In%20Text/CPC_Ver_3.0_Structure_30Jun2025.csv	Official product-classification identity and hierarchy
eu-jrc-nfm-bref-2017	Official guidance (official_guidance)	European Commission JRC, Best Available Techniques Reference Document for the Non-Ferrous Metals Industries, 2017, https://bureau-industrial-transformation.jrc.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2020-01/JRC107041_NFM_bref2017.pdf	Carbonyl and hydrogen-reduction processes, route inputs, co-product recovery, emissions, abatement, and monitoring
epo-metal-flake-ep0097017a2	Literature (literature)	European patent publication EP0097017A2, Production of metal flake, https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0097017A2/en	Nickel-flake wet milling, separation, drying, and protective-atmosphere process decomposition
china-mof-duty-free-research-goods-2026	Official guidance (official_guidance)	Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China, Duty-free research goods list (免税科研货物清单), attachment to 财关税〔2026〕1号, 14 January 2026, https://gss.mof.gov.cn/gzdt/zhengcefabu/202601/P020260114634207037460.pdf	Professional Chinese terminology: row 187 identifies tariff heading 7504 as 镍粉及片状粉末