Worldwide potential for ex-situ mineral carbonation

Abstract World data on (i) CO 2 -emission sites and (ii) ore deposits in mafic/ultramafic (M/UM) rock contexts have been crossed through a GIS (under ArcGIS) in order to identify sites of potential interest for implementing the ex-situ carbonation method. Applying relevant criteria, such as the nature and quantity of mining waste, volumes of CO 2 e mission, distance between mine and emission sites, and adding mining data from the literature, has led to a selection of eight potential ore deposits in an ultramafic rock context. These are located in Botswana, South Africa, China, Russia and Kazakhstan, and all lie within a 300 km radius of coal-fired industrial plants emitting >1 Mt/year CO 2 . This approach is but a first level of reflective thinking that could be complemented by applying hydrographic, topographic, chemical and mineralogical, economic, and even political criteria.