Lazorenko et al. (2026): Enhanced mineral weathering as a carbon sequestration tool in the mining sector: Current and future field trials and experiments
Georgy Lazorenko, Alexander Kruglikov, Anton Kasprzhitskii, IN: Separation and Purification Technology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2026.137267
Enhanced mineral weathering (EMW) has emerged as a promising carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy, leveraging the natural dissolution of silicate minerals to sequester atmospheric COâ‚‚. The mining sector, with its abundant production of reactive tailings and waste materials, presents a unique opportunity for large scale EMW implementation. This perspective compiles and discusses evidence from recent field experiments on surficial accelerated weathering and mineralization at mines, evaluates controls on kinetics (mineralogy, grain size, hydrology, etc.), and maps near term opportunities for deployment at industrial sites. These insights are integrated into a practical framework that favors low energy approaches, identifies key barriers, and sets a research agenda centered on process integration, life cycle assessment, and cost optimization.