About this Research Topic

Background

As atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) have continued to increase, a broad portfolio of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) options and negative emission technologies (NETs) have been proposed. CO2 mineralization is a CCUS and NET process based on engineered weathering of rocks to fix CO2 into stable carbonate minerals. It has the potential to mitigate CO2 emission into the atmosphere with permanent carbon sequestration at the scale of megatons per year. Recent works have focused to carry it out underground (in situ CO2 mineralization) and to use it for direct air capture (DAC). Major challenges in the implementation of the process are the description of the carbonated fluid interaction with the weathered rock and the selection of thermodynamic conditions that allows to perform the operation at low temperature and CO2 pressure. To address these challenges, inorganic, organic and even biological catalysts have been investigated and the coupling of CO2 mineralization with valuable product synthesis such as bio-plastic and critical elements has also been explored. Despite of almost three decades of research in CO2 mineralization several questions on process kinetics, modeling, and optimization have not been answered, yet. But, at the same time, new venues have opened for the application of the process making the area of research vibrant and with the potential of compelling breakthroughs.
This Research Topic goal is to provide a platform for research in CO2 mineralization from different science and engineering disciplines spanning from chemical and process engineering to geochemistry and mineralogy. We seek manuscripts on process design, modeling, and optimization of both above-ground and in situ CO2 mineralization, experiments and modeling works on CO2 mineralization kinetics comprising dissolution, precipitation and direct carbonation, and novel coupling options of CO2 mineralization for a sustainable future.
In particular, we encourage research on the following topics of interest:
• Mineral dissolution and precipitation kinetics
• In situ CO2 mineralization, modeling and experiments of the CO2 mineralization process
• Bio-CO2 mineralization, synthesis and reuse of the solid products (e.g., carbonates and bio-products)
• Use of natural and industrial brine for CO2 mineralization including seawater
• Use of waste for CO2 mineralization
• Direct air capture and negative emission technologies based on CO2 mineralization
• Combination of mining with CO2 mineralization
• CO2 mineralization and life cycle analysis and/or techno-economic assessment.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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