Ambient weathering of magnesium oxide for CO2 removal from air

Noah McQueen, Peter Kelemen, Greg Dipple, Phil Renforth and Jennifer Wilcox ()
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Noah McQueen: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Peter Kelemen: Columbia University
Greg Dipple: University of British Columbia
Phil Renforth: Heriot-Watt University
Jennifer Wilcox: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract To avoid dangerous climate change, new technologies must remove billions of tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere every year by mid-century. Here we detail a land-based enhanced weathering cycle utilizing magnesite (MgCO3) feedstock to repeatedly capture CO2 from the atmosphere. In this process, MgCO3 is calcined, producing caustic magnesia (MgO) and high-purity CO2. This MgO is spread over land to carbonate for a year by reacting with atmospheric CO2. The carbonate minerals are then recollected and re-calcined. The reproduced MgO is spread over land to carbonate again. We show this process could cost approximately $46–159 tCO2−1 net removed from the atmosphere, considering grid and solar electricity without post-processing costs. This technology may achieve lower costs than projections for more extensively engineered Direct Air Capture methods. It has the scalable potential to remove at least 2–3 GtCO2 year−1, and may make a meaningful contribution to mitigating climate change.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16510-3

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16510-3

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