Mineralization Technology for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is a technology approach to the management of anthropogenic emissions to atmosphere. The mineralisation of CO2 gas is one approach receiving increased attention. By injecting CO2 into host rocks, or via an ex-situ application step, geological formations have the capacity to react with and store huge volumes of this gas via the formation of carbonate minerals. Currently the technology involved is not advanced enough to handle large volumes of CO2 gas. An alternative mineral feedstock material is the Gt of industrial process wastes that are often disposed to landfill. Suitable solid industrial wastes include thermal process residues which are voluminous and fairly consistent in nature. By applying an accelerated carbonation step to solid waste there is potential to sequestrate meaningful quantities of CO2 in carbonate-cemented products that have re-use value. The manufacture of carbonated aggregates is already commercially established in Europe and recent advances in technology have enabled mobile plant that directly utilises flue-gas derived CO2 in the manufactured carbonated aggregate process. The present work discusses the basis for mineralisation in geologically derived minerals and industrial wastes, with a focus being on the production of products with value. An assessment of mineralised construction aggregates suggests that CCUS technology can manage significant quantities of this carbon dioxide.