Accelerating Carbon Storage: How Companies Are Turning Rocks into Climate Solutions

Carbon mineralization might sound like a niche scientific term, but it’s a key player in the fight against climate change.

This natural process locks carbon dioxide (CO2) into solid rock, and scientists are now scaling it up to remove CO2 from the atmosphere permanently.

By mimicking nature, companies like CarbFix, 44.01, and Climeworks are turning this once-slow geological process into a practical climate solution.

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Basalt, one of Earth's most abundant rock types, is particularly well-suited for carbon mineralization.

Understanding Carbon Mineralization

Carbon mineralization happens when CO2 reacts with rocks like basalt, forming stable carbonate minerals.

These minerals keep the carbon locked away indefinitely. The process has occurred naturally for millions of years, but modern technology speeds it up.

Companies now inject CO2 into specific rocks to accelerate these chemical reactions, a method known as subsurface or in-situ carbon mineralization.

This approach is safer and more permanent than traditional carbon capture and storage.

While conventional methods pump CO2 into sedimentary basins, risking leaks, mineralization locks carbon into a solid state, eliminating that possibility.

CarbFix: Leading the Way in Iceland

CarbFix, based in Iceland, is one of the pioneers of subsurface carbon mineralization.

In 2012, the team injected CO2 and water into basalt rocks near the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant, east of Reykjavík. Within two years, over 95% of the CO2 was mineralized into solid rock.

“We just copied nature,” said ERIC OELKERS, one of CarbFix’s lead scientists.

The company has since mineralized over 100,000 metric tons of CO2 and continues to innovate.

In partnership with Climeworks, they’ve built Orca, the world’s first commercial-scale direct air capture and storage facility, which captures CO2 from the air and stores it underground.

Carbonate veins in Oman's peridotite show natural carbon mineralization, where CO2 in rainwater reacts with magnesium-rich rock to form carbonate minerals. Image: 44.01.

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44.01: Scaling Up in Oman

Omani startup 44.01 has shown that other rocks, like peridotite, can also store CO₂.

In 2020, the company injected 1.2 metric tons of CO2 into peridotite, with 80% mineralized in just 45 days. Their success earned them the Earthshot Prize in 2022.

Now, 44.01’s Project Hajar, in collaboration with U.S.-based Aircapture, is a top contender for the XPRIZE for Carbon Removal. They aim to scale their technology to store millions of tons of CO2 annually.

Expanding Globally: U.S., Canada, and Beyond

The U.S. has also explored carbon mineralization. In Washington state, researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory injected 1,000 metric tons of CO2 into Columbia River flood basalts.

Within two years, 60% of the CO2 had mineralized.

Canada’s DeepSky recently announced a partnership with CarbFix to drill basalt boreholes in Quebec by 2025.

Other projects, like one by Saudi Aramco on the Saudi coast, are further proving the technology’s versatility.

Advantages of Mineralization

Carbon mineralization stands out for its safety, permanence, and scalability.

Rocks capable of mineralizing CO2 are found on every continent, making it geographically flexible. Unlike forests that can burn, rocks are forever.

“We can guarantee that the actual carbon credits are going to stay there for millions of years,” said CATALINA SÁNCHEZ-ROA, head of carbon mineralization at DeepSky.

The process also avoids risks like CO2 leaks, which are concerns with traditional storage methods.

Overcoming Challenges

Despite its promise, carbon mineralization faces hurdles. Identifying ideal sites takes time and expertise, and the process requires significant amounts of water.

Companies are addressing this by using seawater or treated wastewater and recycling water where possible.

Financing is another challenge. Most funding currently comes from tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, which buy carbon removal credits.

Without regulatory support and incentives, scaling this technology globally will remain difficult.

The Road Ahead

Experts believe carbon mineralization could store up to 10 gigatons of CO2 annually by 2050. While that’s impressive, it’s not enough to offset the 40 gigatons of CO2 humans emit each year.

“We need deep emissions reductions alongside carbon storage,” said Katie Lebling, an associate at the World Resources Institute.

Scaling up will require more pilot projects, stable regulations, and global collaboration.

Companies like CarbFix and 44.01 are paving the way, but widespread adoption is crucial to making carbon mineralization a mainstream climate solution.