Frontier portfolio
Mineralization
Turning carbon into a mineral that can be permanently stored away
Permanent carbon removal
3% of fund spend
When carbon dioxide comes in contact with certain types of rocks, chemical reactions transform the CO₂ into a solid mineral. The CO₂ is locked away, removing it from the atmosphere permanently.
When carbon dioxide comes in contact with certain types of rocks, chemical reactions transform the CO₂ into a solid mineral. The CO₂ is locked away, removing it from the atmosphere permanently.
This beautiful process occurs naturally. Natural rock weathering has been happening forever, removing about one billion tons of atmospheric carbon every year. But scientists are figuring out how to speed up and scale this process to maximize the amount of CO₂ we could permanently store this way. This process is known by many names—like enhanced rock weathering and CO₂ mineralization—and it’s an exciting new field of study. Multiple methods are possible: you can inject CO₂ into rock deep underground (like Climeworks is doing with their captured carbon), or you can use the Earth’s surface.
One rock that does a really good job of carbon capture is olivine, a greenish mineral full of magnesium and iron. When you grind it up into rock dust you can sprinkle it over land or water so it comes in contact with, and stores, a bunch of CO₂. The finer the rock, the more surface area there is for the CO₂ to attach to—and unfortunately, in most cases, the more expensive and energy-intensive it is to produce. Right now, the process of refining olivine requires so much energy that it could cancel up to 80% of the positive effects. But, if done right and widely, it could capture an estimated two billion tons of CO₂ every year.1Footnote 1
One promising avenue for mineralization is the mining industry. Crushed mining waste, called mine tailings, could be a very effective way to store CO₂ and decarbonize that industry. You could capture CO₂ emissions from mine operations, then apply it directly to the mine tailings on site for permanent storage.
Crushed mining waste could be an effective way to store CO₂
Massive amounts of mine tailings sit idle across the globe. Some of them are currently being tested, and if those tests prove the potential for direct air capture, this would be a huge opportunity for carbon removal that entrepreneurs and mining companies could capitalize on.
Much of this research has been done in labs, with very few field tests. There are no policies that recognize or incentivize this industry yet, and there is still much to learn about the costs, scalability, and potential impact here. We haven’t found any investments in this area yet, but we have our eye on this promising space and have earmarked 3% of our fund. Stay tuned for more.