The production of cement is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, accounting for about 8% of the total. As the world continues to face the effects of climate change, finding ways to reduce CO2 emissions is crucial. One potential solution is carbon-negative cement, which can be made using a mineral called olivine.
What is Olivine?
Olivine is a mineral found in abundance in Earth’s mantle and reserves can be found on every continent. It is one of the few minerals available at a large scale, making it an ideal candidate for use in carbon-negative cement production for Reducing CO2 emissions.
The Process
A UK-based company called Seratech has patented a process that turns olivine into cement. The process involves dissolving powdered olivine in sulphuric acid to extract compounds such as silica and magnesium sulphate. The silica helps make the cement stronger and more durable, while the magnesium sulphate reacts with CO2 to form minerals that sequester the gas.
To scale up this process, Draper suggests using captured CO2 from emissions sources or directly from the air. This makes the entire process carbon negative. The leftover mineral can also be recycled into new construction materials like bricks.
Replacing 35% of regular cement with silica from this process would produce a carbon-neutral cement, while replacing 40% or more would make it carbon negative.
Building standards permit using this material for up to 55% of cement. However, more tests are necessary to verify its effectiveness.
The Potential Impact
This process utilises well-known reactions and offers a novel and reasonable way to combine them, according to Rafael Santos from the University of Guelph in Canada. However, there may be challenges with some of the chemicals involved.
In conclusion, carbon-negative cement made from olivine could be a game-changer in reducing CO2 emissions from cement production. With further research and development, this could become a widely adopted solution for tackling climate change for reducing CO2 emissions.
Join the movement towards a greener future by exploring innovative solutions like carbon-negative cement. Visit ENTECH magazine for more articles on STEM education and environmental sustainability.
