SBIR Phase II: Predictive Tools for Characterizing Carbon Sequestration in Mined Materials

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to fully realize the potential for weathering of mine waste to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. By helping mining companies in this effort, this project will positively impact human health and welfare while potentially producing a competitive advantage to the domestic mining industry. The project implementation been designed to maximize positive broader impacts including developing a future workforce and improving public scientific literacy through deliberate public communications on geochemical weathering, carbon emissions, and climate change. This project advances the characterization of carbon mineralization potential of mined materials by incorporation of a novel framework for conceptualizing silicate mineral weathering and a custom test apparatus for direct measurement of carbon mineralization rates. A working prototype geochemical model was developed in SBIR Phase I to simulate enhanced rock weathering of representative mine waste. The prototype predictive model reflects the unique chemical and surface characteristics of mine waste through incorporation of novel kinetic modules and opportunistic parameterization methods. While this product represents an advance over existing geochemical reactive transport codes, it is most effective as a screening tool. In order to advance from screening for carbon mineralization potential to optimization of carbon mineralization strategies, this Phase II project will develop an innovative test apparatus and related methodologies for carbon mineralization characterization. The design of this test method flows from preliminary application of the Phase I predictive model and the results feed back into refined parameters that are needed to meet industry requirements for design basis precision. The test apparatus and model will be deployed to demonstrate the utility of this new service to the mining industry and other stakeholders. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.