Separation of reaction products from ex-situ mineral carbonation and utilization as a substitute in cement, paper, and rubber applications

Ex-situ mineral carbonation, a CCU process, is one possible approach for the decarbonisation of emission-intensive industry with hard-to-abate process emissions like the cement industry. The chemical reaction ensures long-term binding of carbon dioxide in minerals with the effect of storing otherwise emitted CO2 long term. As a major hurdle for CCU processes is often their economic viability, to create incentives for the usage of this process, these carbonated mineral products must become marketable. A separation approach for the reaction products of this process and possible utilization paths are presented. The separation results in three different fractions, each enriched in either the reaction products amorphous silica or magnesium/calcium silicate or unreacted peridotite. The fractions enriched with reaction products are tested as supplementary cementitious material in cement or as a filler in rubber and paper. The application tests show promising results, comparable or even better than the conventional product. Additionally, based on the laboratory explorations, we present initial economic and environmental investigations showing potential carbon footprint reductions of up to 27% for blended cement with a total global reduction potential of 681 MtCO2e/a. Also, potential carbon footprint reductions of 52% can be achieved by using carbonation products as fillers in rubber and 197% in paper, respectively. While the costs for the utilization of carbonated minerals have been calculated to be higher than for the conventional products, CO2 emission certificates could ensure the same price for cement and even lower costs for the substitution of fillers in paper and rubber.