Considerable work has been done and is continuing on the potential of using industrial minerals to sequester anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2).
The minerals may be reacted in situ by drilling into their formations and pumping down CO2 in liquid or gas form.
Or, the minerals may be mined and ground to particle size less than 100 microns to expose a high surface area for faster reaction. The ground mineral may be transported to the CO2 generating facility or the gas or liquid may be pumped to the mine site.
The products of the reaction may then be returned to the pit although the volume will be much greater than the original ore.
The net reduction in the CO2 burden on the atmosphere may also be effected by replacing minerals like limestone and magnesite that are processed to their final products by calcining off the contained CO2.
Minerals that contain magnesium...