Carbon captured in stone. For Life.

Over the years, we have learned and unveiled the complex and not yet discovered structure and mineralogical composition of antigorite serpentinite.

We have been aware of the carbon-removal potential of antigorite serpentinite for a long time. We followed research, conducted our own studies, and consulted our observations with outside science experts. In 2022, we decided to start working on a solution that could make it possible for serpentinite to remove and store large amounts of carbon from the air – permanently and in a possibly short period of time.

Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) speeds up processes of natural weathering. The process of weathering in nature involves rocks and minerals absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. Rainwater carries dissolved carbon dioxide and when it comes into contact with rocks, it reacts with the minerals present in rocks, leading to a dissolution of the minerals. During this reaction, the carbon dioxide is transformed into other molecules and is prevented from being released back into the atmosphere. Weathering leads to the creation of bicarbonate, a type of dissolved inorganic carbon that does not directly interact with the atmosphere. Bicarbonates are dissolved in soil water, which can then leach out of the soil, flow with groundwater and reach rivers and oceans. Once in the water, CO2 remains stable as bicarbonates, or it can precipitate as solid carbonate minerals.

The average amount of time that bicarbonate stays in the ocean is around 1000-10,000 years or more.

Serpentinite is a source of substances common in fertilization – mainly magnesium and iron micronutrients, which are essential for plants and significantly affect their growth and quality. Serpentinite fertilization is mainly used in the cultivation of corn, potatoes, wheat, oats and barley, as well as vegetables, fruits and flowers. Due to its high pH level (9), it is recommended for deacidifying acidic soilsThe use of antigorite serpentinite from the Nasławice deposit has been authorized for use and sale by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Current ERW solutions are mainly using basalt and olivne. Studies indicate that antigorite serpentinite stands out from the minerals studied (olivine, basalt, wollastonite, among others), with its mineralization yield factor of up to 92%. The potential hidden in antigorite serpentinite is largely untapped. Global reserves of serpentinite reach hundreds of thousands of gigatonnes.

In order for our solution to actually capture and store carbon dioxide in “real-world conditions”, we plan to establish cooperation with business and institutional partners other than in agriculture:
- roads and construction industry,
- sports and recreational facilities
- rail

Another solution we plan to work on is using serpentinite as part of chimney filters that capture CO2 at the source of emissions. This is a solution that could contribute to a significant reduction of CO2 emissions from industrial plants.