Breakthrough innovations in carbon dioxide mineralization for a sustainable future

Greenhouse gas emissions and climate change concerns have prompted worldwide initiatives to lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and prevent them from rising in the atmosphere, thereby controlling global warming. Effective CO₂ management through carbon capture and storage is essential for safe and permanent storage, as well as synchronically meeting carbon reduction targets. Lowering CO₂ emissions through carbon utilization can develop a wide range of new businesses for energy security, material production, and sustainability. CO₂ mineralization is one of the most promising strategies for producing thermodynamically stable solid calcium or magnesium carbonates for long-term sequestration using simple chemical reactions. Current advancements in CO₂ mineralization technologies,focusing on pathways and mechanisms using different industrial solid wastes, including natural minerals as feedstocks, are briefly discussed. However, the operating costs, energy consumption, reaction rates, and material management are major barriers to the application of these technologies in CO₂ mineralization. The optimization of operating parameters, tailor-made equipment, and smooth supply of waste feedstocks require more attention to make the carbon mineralization process economically and commercially viable. Here, carbonation mechanisms, technological options to expedite mineral carbonation, environmental impacts, and prospects of CO₂ mineralization technologies are critically evaluated to suggest a pathway for mitigating climate change in the future. The integration of industrial wastes and brine with the CO₂ mineralization process can unlock its potential for the development of novel chemical pathways for the synthesis of calcium or magnesium carbonates, valuable metal recovery, and contribution to sustainability goals while reducing the impact of global warming.

Graphical abstract