FPX Nickel Corp. is pleased to report the results of initial field tests which demonstrate the potential for significant direct air carbon capture in tailings at its Baptiste Project in the Decar Nickel District in central British Columbia. The field tests, conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia funded by FPX and the Government of Canada, demonstrate that the Baptiste Project’s tailings can sequester significant quantities of carbon dioxide when exposed to air through a natural process of mineral carbonation.
Highlights
- Carbon sequestration rates observed during the 24-day field program in August 2020 are consistent with and, under certain conditions, improve upon the rates achieved in previous laboratory-based testing
- Significant rates of carbon sequestration were noted on a continuous basis throughout the program under all test conditions, with the highest rates of sequestration occurring in tailings subjected to churning at daily intervals to encourage greater exposure of the crushed material to air
- Measurements during the 24-day field program last August indicate capture of a total of 2 grams of CO2 for each kilogram of crushed Baptiste tailings exposed to air by churning on a daily basis to a depth of 12 centimetres
- The experimental results indicate reaction with only 15-30% of the available carbon-reactive mineral (brucite) in the tailings, suggesting promising future opportunities to optimize the reaction between tailings and CO2 in air to achieve even higher rates of carbon capture