Mineral-water interactions in CO2 sequestration and mining environments

二氧化碳封存和采矿环境中矿泉水的相互作用

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04490
• 负责人: Power, Ian
• 金额: $ 2.55万
• 依托单位: Trent University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=685600
• 关键词: Mineral; water; interactions; CO2; sequestration

Carbon management and sequestration are emerging areas in geoscience research that are motivated by concerns over the impacts of climate change, and the increasing financial incentives of carbon pricing. Contemporaneous to the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the generation of mine wastes, such as tailings (fine-grained waste rock), is escalating due to the increasing demand for resources. Consequently, the mining industry must develop more secure and cost-effective tailings management practices while improving environmental performance. The long-term goal of the proposed research is to understand fundamental geochemical, mineralogical, and geobiological processes at Earth's surface conditions and apply this knowledge to address environmental challenges. This research comprises three themes: (1) CO2 sequestration in mine wastes, (2) natural analogues for CO2 sequestration, and (3) tailings weathering and cementation. ******Weathering of mine tailings can result in the formation of carbonate minerals that store CO2, a key GHG. Through this process, certain mines have the capacity to more than offset the GHG emissions of mining, yet technologies need to be developed to take advantage of this capacity (Theme 1). Fieldwork conducted at mines in Canada, South Africa, and Botswana will determine CO2 sequestration capacities, while laboratory experiments will determine the extent and rates of CO2 sequestration within mine tailings. Study of natural weathering of rock with similar composition to the mine tailings will provide insights regarding the drivers and limitations of chemical weathering at Earth's surface that regulates atmospheric CO2 concentrations over geologic time (Theme 2). Lastly, beneficial weathering processes in tailings will be studied in the laboratory (Theme 3). These processes include cementation and surface passivation through mineral precipitation that can help limit metal release and improve tailings stability. ******The proposed research will advance our understanding of carbon cycling, weathering, and mine waste management while training a new generation of scientists to tackle pressing environmental issues. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to launch their professional careers and become leaders in their chosen field. This research will make major contributions to the sustainable development of mineral resources and devise novel processes for CO2 sequestration to facilitate society's transition to a low-carbon economy. Research outcomes will help guide mining companies to utilize their mineral wastes to reduce GHG emissions, limit the costs of carbon pricing, improve tailings management, and benefit their social license to operate. Developing and implementing new technologies for reducing GHG emissions will create employment opportunities for Canadians in the emerging sectors of carbon management and sequestration.

碳管理和封存是地球科学研究中的新兴领域，其动机是对气候变化影响的担忧，以及碳定价日益增加的财政激励。在需要减少温室气体（GHG）排放的同时，由于对资源的需求不断增加，尾矿（细粒废石）等矿山废物的产生正在升级。因此，采矿业必须发展更安全、成本效益更高的尾矿管理做法，同时改善环境绩效。拟议研究的长期目标是了解地球表面条件下的基本地球化学、矿物学和地质生物学过程，并应用这些知识来应对环境挑战。本研究包括三个主题：(1)矿山废弃物中的CO2固存；(2)CO2固存的天然类似物；(3)尾矿的风化与胶结。******尾矿的风化作用可以形成碳酸盐矿物，储存二氧化碳，这是一种关键的温室气体。通过这一过程，某些矿山有能力抵消采矿的温室气体排放，但需要发展技术来利用这一能力（主题1）。在加拿大、南非和博茨瓦纳的矿场进行的实地工作将确定二氧化碳封存能力，而实验室实验将确定矿山尾矿中二氧化碳封存的程度和速率。对与矿山尾矿成分相似的岩石的自然风化进行研究，将提供有关地球表面化学风化的驱动因素和限制因素的见解，这些因素在地质时期调节大气二氧化碳浓度（主题2）。最后，将在实验室研究尾矿中的有益风化过程（主题3）。这些过程包括胶结和通过矿物沉淀的表面钝化，这有助于限制金属释放并提高尾矿的稳定性。******拟议的研究将促进我们对碳循环、风化和矿山废物管理的理解，同时培养新一代科学家来解决紧迫的环境问题。学生将获得的知识和技能，启动自己的职业生涯，并成为领导者在他们所选择的领域。这项研究将为矿产资源的可持续发展做出重大贡献，并设计新的二氧化碳封存工艺，以促进社会向低碳经济的过渡。研究成果将有助于指导矿业公司利用其矿物废物减少温室气体排放，限制碳定价成本，改善尾矿管理，并有利于其社会经营许可证。开发和实施减少温室气体排放的新技术将为加拿大人在碳管理和封存的新兴部门创造就业机会。