Technology for a changing climate

Greenhouse gases such as CO₂ trap heat, causing global temperatures to rise. In order to avoid the most disastrous climate predictions, we need to limit this warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This means not only cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, but also removing billions of tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere. Once removed, these gases will need to be stored in long-term, safe environments.

At the CarbMin Lab, we harness existing mining processes to trap and safely store CO₂. The capacity of some mines’ waste rock to store CO₂ through carbon mineralization may exceed an individual mine’s greenhouse gas emissions tenfold. Furthermore, the end product is an environmentally benign carbonate rock which produces other benefits such as tailings stabilization, dust reduction, and toxic metal encapsulation. Within the CarbMin research program, we investigate and accelerate natural carbon mineralization processes, develop technology to enhance CO₂ uptake at mine sites, and quantify carbon mineralization potential both regionally and at an individual mine scale.