assessment was conducted considering material production, transport distances, and construction-related equipment use for both solutions. The analysis focused on a representative haul road segment 1,000 m long and 20 m wide (20,000 m²), using project-specific quantities and logistics derived from actual implementation. The objective was not to perform a comprehensive academic life cycle assessment, but rather to quantify the practical emissions difference between a thicknessbased structural design and a stabilization-based approach under real mining conditions. In the conventional configuration, structural capacity was achieved primarily through mass placement of granular materials. For the evaluated segment, this required approximately 20,000 m³ of rock fragments forming the structural platform, 14,000 m³ of itabirite material in the sub-base, and 6,000 m³ of selected gravel for the wearing course. This material-intensive approach relied heavily on aggregate extraction, hauling, and placement to provide load-bearing performance. In contrast, the reinforced solution improved structural behavior through mechanical confinement, allowing a reduction in high-volume rock layers while incorporating geosynthetic stabilization. For the same geometry, the optimized configuration required approximately 16,000 m³ of itabirite material, 8,000 m³ of selected gravel, and 20,000 m² each of multidirectional rigid geogrid and nonwoven geotextile. By enhancing load distribution through confinement, the structure achieved the required trafficability with lower aggregate demand. Transport distances considered in the evaluation averaged approximately 5 km for itabirite materials and 30 km for selected aggregates, reflecting the mine’s supply configuration. Because the reinforced solution reduced the need for thick rock platforms and repeated material rehandling, it also decreased equipment operating hours relative to the conventional alternative, contributing to lower diesel consumption during construction and subsequent maintenance cycles. Overall, the conventional design concentrated emissions in aggregate extraction and hauling activities, whereas the reinforced configuration reduced these dominant contributors by lowering material volumes and transport intensity while maintaining operational performance. 5.2 Carbon Emission Results The comparative assessment resulted in the following total greenhouse gas emissions for the evaluated 1,000 m haul road segment (20,000 m²):
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