Co-Products
Co-Products are extracted from our Magnesium Silicate Feedstock and are in addition to greenhouse gas removals as they are not derived from captured carbon dixoxide. These are distinct from Utilization Products, which are derived form the use of captured carbon dioxide.
Metal Co-Products
Zero Carbon Metals
We break down magnesium silicate feedstock to extract the elements that we need for carbon capture and mineralisation.
The remaining metal compounds are then refined using low emission processes to produce commercial grade net- zero metals.
Metals vary with the composition of feedstock but are generally Nickel, Cobalt, Chromium and Manganese
Zero Carbon Nickel
After Magnesium, Nickel is the most abundant metal in our Magnesium Silicate feedstocks. Olivine contains around 0.3% nickel by weight and Saprolite (commercial grade ore), contains around 1.7%.
We estimate that a tonne of Nickel would be extracted for every 55 tonnes of CO2 removed when running Olivine feedstock.
See London Metal Exchange for current Nickel Prices
Impact of Carbon Removals to Net-Zero Nickel
The IFC Net Zero Roadmap for Copper and Nickel Value Chains states to achieve net zero by 2050, the Nickel industry must reduce GHG emissions from nickel production by >90% from today’s levels and remove the remaining emissions by procuring 8.8 Mt/y of high quality GGR Credits.
If we were to develop plants to meet the 8.8 Mt/y requirement for carbon dioxide removals we estimate that they would also yield between 140 kt/y and 850 kt/y of Net-Zero Nickel.
Mineral Co-Products
Zero Carbon Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium Oxide, our Mineralisation feedstock, is produced by the carbon capture process.
As it is zero-carbon, it can be exported to satellite projects where it can be used to capture and mineralise CO2 emissions in point-source flue gases using simple low-cost mineralisation plants.
We are exploring its use as a feedstock for Enhanced Weathering and Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement as the heavy metals that could contaminate the marine food chain have been removed.
Zero Carbon Amorphous Silica
Approximately 1.6 tonnes of Amorphous Precipitated Silica will be extracted for every tonne of CO2 captured.