mineral carbonation Flashcards
what is cement
cement is the largest mass manufactured man-made product on earth
why is the demand for cement is increasing
due to developing countries striving for better infrastracture
does cement release carbon
yes, cement manufacturing is one of the most carbon-releasing industries in the world
how is carbon dioxide released from cement
CO2 is emitted during clinker production, which is a key step in cement manufacture
CO2 is also emitted during cement production by fossil fuel combustion
what do this release of CO2 cause
the high levels of Carbon Dioxide emissions from cement manufacturing have contributed to climate change with global repercussions
what process can be done to reduce these levels of CO2
mineral carbonation can reduce the amount of CO2 released from cement production
describe mineral carbonation
it is a process where CO2 is reacted with naturally occurring minerals to form stable carbonate compounds
this process occurs naturally over geological time scales, however, can be accelerated through human intervention to mitigate global climate change
what are the two key steps involved in mineral carbonation
carbon dioxide capture and mineral reaction
describe CO2 capture and mineral reaction
CO2 is captured from industrial emissions or directly from the atmosphere, and then reacted with minerals such as olivine, serpentine, or wollastonite to form stable carbonate compounds
what can be done with the resulting compounds
the resulting carbonate compounds can then be stored permanently in geological formations or used as feedback for industrial processes
positives of mineral carbonation
mineral carbonation can be used to capture CO2 emissions from various sources, including industrial processes, power plants, and the atmosphere
the process permanently removes CO2 from the atmosphere and does not require the use of expensive or toxic chemicals
naturally occurring minerals used in mineral carbonation are abundant and widely distributed around the world
negatives of mineral carbonation
challenges associated with mineral carbonation include the energy required to drive the process and the availability and accessibility of suitable mineral deposits
some minerals may not be reactive enough or available in sufficient quantities for large scale carbonation projects so careful site selection and mineral characterization are important
what do feedstock mineral form
feedstock minerals such as serpentine, magnesium silicate rock, slags, or fly ashes are reacted with CO2 streams to form magnesium or calcium carbonates and silica, which can be used to make valuable products
what is MCi
MCi is a company that has developed a mineral carbonation technology to transform CO2 into solid materials safely, permanently and profitably
what does MCi stand for
mineral carbonation international
what can their carbon platform be adapted to
their carbon platform can be adapted to a range of mineral carbonation configurations, making it suitable for various industrial settings
what does MCi require
three basic elements
CO2 source
feedstock
markets for the solid materials
is MCi a success
they are one of the first companies to commercialize mineral carbonation and are growing in size and popularity
where is MCi commercializing its carbon platform technology
in various industrial sectors such as cement, steel making, waste-to-energy, minerals, processing, manufacturing and energy
what do MCi employ
they employ a rapid assessment methodology to assess the suitability of their technology to potential customer’s circumstances
what is MCi currently doing
building its first demonstration-scale carbon plant to be operational in mid-2023
they are working with downstream industrial manufacturers to use their low-carbon materials in their product formulations
MCi is actively forming strategic partnerships to assist in commercial validation and deployment of their technology globally
outlines MCi and the cement industry
they are working with customers and partners globally in the cement and concrete industries to validate their silicas and carbonates in new formulations that lower the carbon intensity of their product
MCi is planning to supply millions of tonnes of low-carbon materials to cement industry customers around the world to deliver low carbo, neutral or even negative carbon construction and infrastructure applications
describe the 5 processes that MCi use in mineral carbonation
- feedstock
- pre-processing
- carbonation
- output
- products
describe feedstock
minerals
tailings
waste
describe pre-processing
grinding
thermal activation
slurrying
describe carbonation
industrial flue gas
direct air capture
captured CO2
describe output
silica
carbonates
metal oxides
describe products
cement
plasterboard
advanced materials
what is feedstock
a source of calcium or magnesium
can be natural minerals such as serpentinite
can also be industrial byproducts such as steelmaking slag that contain calcium
describe what is reacted with the CO2 source and what it will produce
CO2+magniums=magniums carbonate
CO2+calcium=calcium carbonate
