Catalogue of South African mine tailings for geochemical carbon dioxide removal purposes
Date
2023Author
Bullock, Liam A.
Nkosi, Zakhele
Amponsah-Dacosta, Maxwell
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
South Africa has the potential to be a global leader in implementing strategies targeting geochemical carbon
dioxide removal (CDR) using mine tailings, utilising methods for alkalinity production and mineral carbonation.
This is due to the hundreds of millions of tonnes of geochemically and mineralogically suitable tailings produced
annually from diamond, PGM, chrome, nickel, phosphate, copper, talc and magnesite mines, exploiting mafic
and ultramafic rocks. This approach may offer an additional route towards emissions offsets and reduction
targets for South Africa.
Here, a catalogue of tailings has been developed to highlight overall national CDR potential, drawing attention
to site opportunities for pilot schemes. It has been calculated, using bulk geochemistry and shrinking core
modelling, that South Africa has an average 1.1-1.7 MtCO2 removal capacity per year across all suitable sites,
while an additional 11-17 MtCO2 could be removed through weathering historic tailings.