Microbially induced magnesium carbonation reactions as a strategy for carbon sequestration in ultramafic mine tailings
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has increased due to anthropogenic fossil fuel combustion, causing higher global temperatures and other negative environmental effects. CO2 sequestration through carbonate mineralisation provides a stable, long term carbon sink. A natural hydromagnesite playa (Atlin, British Columbia, Canada) demonstrates the ability of phototrophic microorganisms to accelerate magnesium carbonate mineralisation. The site’s biogeochemistry was modeled in a 10 m flow-through bioreactor carbonation experiment, allowing for hydromagnesite precipitation conditions to be refined. Ultramafic mine tailings are a target substrate for carbonation reactions due to their high magnesium content. A synthetic mine leach water, designed from the results of a chrysotile leaching experiment, was added to the bioreactor in a second carbonation experiment. This demonstrated the microorganisms’ ability to precipitate hydromagnesite and magnesite using atmospheric CO2. The achieved carbon storage rate of 65 t C/ha/year has the potential to offset net carbon emissions of mining operations.
Author: Jenine McCutcheon
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W114816987