Olivine to Combat Climate Change
Weathering of basic rocks, containing magnesium and calcium silicates, is the main mechanism to capture CO₂ in a sustainable way, with storage of organic carbon a distant second. The CO₂ emission by Man, due to the combustion of fossil fuels is at least ten times larger than the natural CO₂ emissi...
Збережено в:
Дата: | 2011 |
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Автор: | |
Формат: | Стаття |
Мова: | English |
Опубліковано: |
Інститут геохімії, мінералогії та рудоутворення ім. М.П. Семененка НАН України
2011
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Назва видання: | Мінералогічний журнал |
Теми: | |
Онлайн доступ: | http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/63455 |
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Назва журналу: | Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
Цитувати: | Olivine to Combat Climate Change / R.D. Schuiling // Мінералогічний журнал. — 2011. — Т. 33, № 2. — С. 100-104. — Бібліогр.: 9 назв. — англ. |
Репозитарії
Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of UkraineРезюме: | Weathering of basic rocks, containing magnesium and calcium silicates, is the main mechanism to capture CO₂ in a sustainable
way, with storage of organic carbon a distant second. The CO₂ emission by Man, due to the combustion of fossil
fuels is at least ten times larger than the natural CO₂ emission from the Earth. Emission and capture are no longer in balance,
and the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere is steeply rising. It is a logical step to investigate whether we can
stimulate the natural process of weathering in such a way that the balance is restored. Weathering takes place at the surface
of rocks, so we must increase the available surface area. This can be done by mining and milling suitable rocks, and spread
the powder over land and in shallow seas. Factors that influence the rate of reaction, apart from grain size, are temperature,
pH and water. This means that soils in tropical countries are best suited. Soil atmospheres are on average hundred
times richer in CO₂ than air. This is caused by the decay of plant material and the respiration of soil fauna. A high CO₂-
pressure causes a low pH, which is favorable for weathering. The most suitable rock type is dunite, which consists for
more than 90 % of olivine. Dunite massifs are found in many countries on each continent. Large massifs occur among
others in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. By mining the olivine there, milling it and spreading a thin layer over the
surroundings, climate change can be counteracted. Weathering is a natural process, that has kept the CO₂ level of the atmosphere
within bounds for billions of years, thus no short term or long term negative ecological consequences are to be
expected. |
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