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Carbon Dioxide Sequestration, Weathering Approaches to

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Geoengineering Responses to Climate Change

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Abstract

The aim of enhanced weathering is to capture CO2 by the carbonation of silicates, or by dissolution of these silicates during which the greenhouse gas CO2 is converted to bicarbonate in solution. Research in this field is still focused on increasing the rate of reaction, but the required additional technologies add considerably to the cost of the process. In this entry, the focus is on the optimization of the weathering conditions, by selecting the most reactive abundantly available minerals, grinding them, and spreading the grains over land. Thereafter nature takes its course. Since its formulation in the late 1990s, more and more people realize that this simple and natural approach may well turn out to be one of the most promising and environmentally friendliest ways to counteract climate change and ocean acidification

This chapter, which has been modified slightly for the purposes of this volume, was originally published as part of the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology edited by Robert A. Meyers. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3

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Abbreviations

CO2 capture:

Any process whereby CO2 is sustainably removed from the atmosphere for a long period.

Dunite:

Common rock type consisting for more than 90% of the mineral olivine.

Enhanced weathering:

Any process whereby weathering reactions are sped up, like crushing the rock into fine particles and spreading these in suitable climates.

Laterite:

Iron-rich tropical soil, which is the insoluble residue left after the weathering of the rock.

Mineral carbonation:

The reaction of CO2 with minerals (particularly Mg or Ca silicates), leading to the formation of solid and stable carbonates. This carbonation is preceded by the transformation of CO2 gas to bicarbonate solutions.

Olivine:

A silicate which is a mixed crystal of Mg2SiO4 and Fe2SiO4. It is the fastest weathering common silicate.

Weathering:

The process whereby rocks are decomposed by reaction with water and acid (usually carbonic acid).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences – Geochemistry, Institute of Geosciences, Utrcht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    R. D. Schuiling

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  1. Hatherly Laboratories, Biosciences College of Life and, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PS, United Kingdom

    Tim Lenton

  2. , School of Environmental Sciences, Univerity of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom

    Naomi Vaughan

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Schuiling, R.D. (2013). Carbon Dioxide Sequestration, Weathering Approaches to. In: Lenton, T., Vaughan, N. (eds) Geoengineering Responses to Climate Change. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5770-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5770-1_7

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