5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization

Carbon mineralization is a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) process that accelerates the reaction between CO2 and alkaline minerals (like those in basalt) to permanently store carbon as solid carbonates. While it offers potential co-benefits such as strengthened concrete and the neutralization of toxic mine tailings, scaling the technology poses risks including induced seismicity, high water usage in arid regions, and environmental impacts from increased mining. The document emphasizes the need for standardized measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols and updated mineral mapping to scale the process responsibly.

• Carbon mineralization is a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) process that accelerates natural reactions between CO2 and specific minerals—particularly mafic or ultramafic rocks containing magnesium or calcium-bearing silicates—to create solid carbonates that permanently sequester carbon.
• While natural mineralization removes approximately 0.3 billion metric tons of CO2 annually, accelerated processes could potentially remove up to 1 gigaton of CO2 per year globally by 2035 and 10 gigatons per year by 2050, provided there is sufficient investment in research and testing.
• Carbon mineralization approaches are categorized as either in-situ (subsurface) or ex-situ/surficial (surface). In-situ methods involve injecting CO2 into basalt or other reactive rocks, while surficial methods include enhanced rock weathering on coastlines or agricultural fields and the use of alkaline feedstocks like mine tailings or industrial waste.
• The process offers several co-benefits, including the production of strengthened concrete (with an estimated global storage potential of 0.1 to 1.4 gigatons of CO2 by 2050), the extraction of critical minerals like nickel and cobalt from mine tailings, the neutralization of toxic asbestos tailings, and the reduction of local ocean acidification.
• Scaling carbon mineralization involves significant environmental and social risks, such as the introduction of toxic metals (nickel and chromium) into soils or oceans, health risks for workers handling asbestos, high water consumption in arid regions (e.g., the southwestern U.S.), induced seismic activity, and the energy and pollution associated with increased mining and transport.
• To scale the technology responsibly, the document identifies a need for more pilot projects, updated high-resolution mapping of suitable minerals (noting that USGS data on mines has not been updated in a decade), and the development of standardized measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols to ensure consistency across projects.

APA

World Resources Institute (2023). 5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization. https://www.wri.org/insights/carbon-mineralization-carbon-removal

Chicago

World Resources Institute. 5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization. 2023. https://www.wri.org/insights/carbon-mineralization-carbon-removal.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization |date=22 June 2023 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/carbon-mineralization-carbon-removal |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2023things, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/carbon-mineralization-carbon-removal}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }