Rapid mineralisation of carbon dioxide in peridotites
Juerg Matter, J. Alexander Speer, Christopher Day, P. B. Kelemen, Amr Ibrahim, Sulaiman Al Mani, Ehab Tasfai, M. Ilyas, Karan Khimji, Talal Hasan
Abstract
Abstract The success of industrial scale carbon capture and storage in geologic reservoirs depends on the permanence of the stored carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Carbon dioxide capture and mineralisation (CCM) or mineral carbonation, which is the conversion of CO 2 to carbonate minerals via fluid-rock reactions provides low risk and permanent CO 2 removal. Here, we demonstrate rapid mineralisation of industrial CO 2 emissions in mantle peridotites. Captured CO 2 from an ammonia plant in the Sultanate of Oman has been injected into peridotite at a pilot test site in the Samail ophiolite. Chemical and isotopic results indicate rapid carbonate mineral precipitation. Mass balance calculations suggest that ~88% of the injected CO 2 was mineralised as carbonate minerals within 45 days after injection. This successful approach of CCM unlocks peridotite as a promising new type of reservoir for the safe and permanent disposal of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions.