How captured CO2 could help mine carbon-negative nickel

Olivine-rich rocks: A Sustainable Solution for CO2 Storage and Metal Extraction

Injecting carbon dioxide into rocks deep underground can turn the planet-warming gas into mineral form, permanently keeping it out of the atmosphere. Now, researchers say it may be possible to use the same process to simultaneously extract key metals used in clean electricity technology.

“By doing this surgical mining and doing things deep down-hole, we’re able to keep what we don’t want down there, and bring up the stuff we want,” says Quin Miller at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Washington state. This innovative approach not only addresses the pressing issue of carbon sequestration but also presents a sustainable method for sourcing essential metals.