We are probably going to have to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to address the climate emergency. There is always a fear that carbon dioxide could leak out again, even though most carbon capture and storage methods involve injecting it into underground caverns. Carbon mineralisation is a chemical reaction where carbon dioxide is locked into a mineral.
Carbon mineralisation happens naturally during rock weathering and stores carbon safely for thousands of years, but until now it was thought to be limited because it blocks entry and prevents further reactions. Recent experiments show that the minerals created during the process of mineralisation expand the rock and cause new cracks to appear, which increase the rock's carbon storage capacity.
The results of the experiment were presented at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in December 2021.
The Columbia University Climate School in New York is trying to find a way to improve the process so they can help implement more pilot projects around the world.
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