Manufacturing Efficiency

The University of Kentucky’s proposed technology will use CO₂ emitted at or near operating mines and processing operations to reduce the energy consumed during grinding by more than 50% while improving the recovery of critical energy relevant minerals by 20% or greater. In this approach, CO2 will be mixed with ore containing the valuable minerals, especially copper (Cu) and rare earth elements, to improve grinding and separation efficiency. Biological fixation of CO2 will also be studied and employed in producing acid to recover Cu from low grade feedstocks.

The University of Texas at Arlington will develop two technologies to produce lithium (Li) and nickel (Ni) from CO2-reactive minerals and rocks that contain calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), while sequestering CO2 in the form of carbonate solids (calcium carbonate, or CaCO3; magnesium carbonate, or MgCO3; and variants thereof). The technologies, acoustic stimulation and electrolytic proton production, use electricity to liberate valuable metal ions from the surrounding mineral matrix at sub-boiling temperatures (~20-80°C).

The University of Texas, Austin, will conduct an in-situ injection of CO2 dissolved in water to permanently sequester CO2 via carbon-negative reactions (carbon mineralization), chemically fracture the rock via reaction-driven cracking before mining to reduce extraction and comminution energy by at least 50%, replace the CO2-reactive rock waste with carbonate to reduce energy needed for separation, improve concentrate grade, and increase ore recovery, and expand the lifespan of the mine as a CO2 sink once the ore is exhausted.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) will develop an innovative carbon mineralization/metal extraction technology (CMME) that enables the recovery of energy-relevant elements during direct and indirect carbon mineralization processes. Virginia Tech will introduce an organic phase during the direct carbon mineralization process and in the mineral dissolution step of indirect carbon mineralization process. Energy-relevant elements are purified and separated through advanced separation technologies.

Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T) will develop a multidisciplinary topology optimization (MDTO) algorithm that couples fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and structural analysis to design, manufacture via additive manufacturing techniques, and demonstrate a high-performance, extreme environment heat exchanger (EEHX) capable of operating at up to 900°C with a 17 MPa pressure differential with supercritical carbon dioxide.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will advance state-of-the-art of integrated reservoir stimulation and sensing technology for enhanced in-situ mining (ISM) and carbon mineralization. This project will use disruptive electro-hydraulic fracturing to increase permeability of intact ore bodies, expanding the accessibility of CO2-charged fluid to carbonation-target minerals and dispersed energy-relevant minerals.

Michigan Technological University (MTU) will achieve a decrease of 10 wt% CO2 equivalent per tonne of ore processed compared with current methods for primary nickel extraction by a) storing CO2 in CO2-reactive minerals and b) recovering an additional 80% of energy-relevant minerals from nickel-bearing minerals in mine tailings. MTU will achieve these two major goals by developing accelerated carbon mineralization and carbon negative metal extraction technologies.

Missouri University of Science and Technology aims to establish a new way to extract energy-relevant minerals, such as nickel and cobalt, from low-concentration, CO2-reactive mafic/ultramafic mine wastes (tailings, gangue, overburden rock, etc.) or geologic formations. The innovation is enabled by a novel pretreatment of mafic mine wastes using a CO2- or biomass-derived organic acid, which can dissolve the silicates efficiently.

Biomason will develop a carbon negative cementitious materials production process that may replace most product classes now served by carbon-intensive traditional cement. Traditional cement (the binder element in concrete) requires carbon-intensive, fossil fuel kilning (1,400°C) of limestone, leading to carbon emissions from the high temperature and CO2 burned off the limestone. Biocementation, or microbial induced calcite precipitation, is a viable technology for manufacturing concrete materials with significantly reduced energy, carbon, and logistical footprints.

Columbia University will develop an integrated hydrometallurgical-electrochemical mining technology to increase energy-relevant mineral yields from CO2-reactive minerals. The technology incorporates an innovative stirred media mill reactor that minimizes comminution energy and improves leaching efficiencies and a new electrochemical refining processes using functionalized interfaces for selective separation of metals.