"Carbonate minerals do not leak out of the ground, thus our newly developed method results in permanent and environmentally friendly storage of CO2 emissions," Matter said. On contact with the target storage rocks, at 400-800 metres under the ground, the solution quickly reacts with the surrounding basaltic rock, forming carbonate minerals. One approach is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), where CO2 is physically removed from the atmosphere and trapped underground.Geoengineers have long explored the possibility of sealing CO2 gas in voids underground, such as in abandoned oil and gas reservoirs, but these are susceptible to leakage. "Our newly developed method results in permanent and environmentally friendly storage of CO2 emissions," said the study's lead author Juerg Matter, associate professor in Geoengineering at University of Southampton in Britain.Measures to tackle the problem of increasing greenhouse gas emissions and resultant climate change are numerous. As a volcanic island, Iceland is made up of 90 per cent basalt, a rock rich in elements such as calcium, magnesium and iron that are required for carbon mineralisation.The CO2 is dissolved in water and carried down the well.

Source: Economic Times June 10, 2016 06:22 UTC