CO2 Sequestered as Rock in Only 2 Years

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have found a way to turn carbon-dioxide to rock in only two years. In future, this could allow humanity to directly reduce atmospheric CO2.

The idea of sequestering carbon-dioxide in stone has been around for a while. But previously scientists thought the process would take thousands of years.

The PNNL researchers pumped liquid CO2 into a mineral-rich basalt rock formation. The CO2 then reacted with the minerals, forming ankerite.

As of now, sucking the carbon-dioxide out of the air and turning it into liquid is expensive. And while the proper basalt formations are found worldwide, scientists aren't sure how well the technology will scale up. But it's promising!

Read more at Science Daily, or review the original research.

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