But how do you grow the mining industry while still holding the line on carbon emissions? A new study involving scientists from the University of Alberta and the University of Bern (Switzerland) may hold the answer. Vessey, Wilson and their collaborators looked at how the proportion of iron content in brucite affects the efficiency of its carbon capture, and whether the surrounding environment also changes its ability to permanently store carbon. "If you were trying to bind carbon dioxide in normal air, the iron turns into rust instead of trapping carbon dioxide," says Wilson. The research, says Vessey, lays the foundation for mining sites to one day safely and stably store harmful emissions underground.

Source: The Nation June 12, 2024 02:03 UTC