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

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是充分实现矿山废物风化从大气中去除二氧化碳（CO2）的潜力。通过帮助矿业公司开展这项工作，该项目将对人类健康和福利产生积极影响，同时可能为国内采矿业带来竞争优势。该项目的实施旨在最大限度地发挥更广泛的积极影响，包括发展未来的劳动力，并通过对地球化学风化、碳排放和气候变化的深思熟虑的公众传播提高公众的科学素养。该项目通过将硅酸盐矿物风化概念化的新框架和用于直接测量碳矿化率的定制测试仪器相结合，推进了开采材料碳矿化潜力的表征。建立了SBIR一期地球化学模型的工作原型，模拟了具有代表性的矿山废弃物的强化岩石风化过程。原型预测模型通过结合新的动力学模块和机会参数化方法，反映了矿山废弃物独特的化学和表面特征。虽然该产品代表了现有地球化学反应输运代码的进步，但它是最有效的筛选工具。为了从碳矿化潜力筛选到碳矿化策略优化，本二期项目将开发一种创新的碳矿化表征测试仪器和相关方法。该测试方法的设计从第一阶段预测模型的初步应用开始，并将结果反馈为满足行业设计基础精度要求所需的精炼参数。将部署测试设备和模型，以向采矿业和其他利益相关者展示这项新服务的实用性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.