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Journal ArticleDOI

Basalt weathering laws and the impact of basalt weathering on the global carbon cycle

30 Dec 2003-Chemical Geology (Elsevier Science)-Vol. 202, Iss: 3, pp 257-273
TL;DR: In this paper, the chemical weathering of basalts and the flux of carbon transferred from the atmosphere to the ocean during this major process at the surface of the Earth were investigated.
About: This article is published in Chemical Geology.The article was published on 2003-12-30. It has received 762 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Soil production function & Weathering.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
07 Nov 2019-Nature
TL;DR: The capture and use of carbon dioxide to create valuable products might lower the net costs of reducing emissions or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but barriers to implementation remain substantial and resource constraints prevent the simultaneous deployment of all pathways.
Abstract: The capture and use of carbon dioxide to create valuable products might lower the net costs of reducing emissions or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Here we review ten pathways for the utilization of carbon dioxide. Pathways that involve chemicals, fuels and microalgae might reduce emissions of carbon dioxide but have limited potential for its removal, whereas pathways that involve construction materials can both utilize and remove carbon dioxide. Land-based pathways can increase agricultural output and remove carbon dioxide. Our assessment suggests that each pathway could scale to over 0.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide utilization annually. However, barriers to implementation remain substantial and resource constraints prevent the simultaneous deployment of all pathways. Ten pathways for the utilization of carbon dioxide are reviewed, considering their potential scale, economics and barriers to implementation.

879 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work investigates the current advancement in the proposed MC technologies and the role they can play in decreasing the overall cost of this CO2 sequestration route and finds the value of the products seems central to render MC economically viable in the same way as conventional CCS seems profitable only when combined with EOR.
Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration includes a portfolio of technologies that can potentially sequester billions of tonnes of CO2 per year Mineral carbonation (MC) is emerging as a potential CCS technology solution to sequester CO2 from smaller/medium emitters, where geological sequestration is not a viable option In MC processes, CO2 is chemically reacted with calcium- and/or magnesium-containing materials to form stable carbonates This work investigates the current advancement in the proposed MC technologies and the role they can play in decreasing the overall cost of this CO2 sequestration route In situ mineral carbonation is a very promising option in terms of resources available and enhanced security, but the technology is still in its infancy and transport and storage costs are still higher than geological storage in sedimentary basins ($17 instead of $8 per tCO2) Ex situ mineral carbonation has been demonstrated on pilot and demonstration scales However, its application is currently limited by its high costs, which range from $50 to $300 per tCO2 sequestered Energy use, the reaction rate and material handling are the key factors hindering the success of this technology The value of the products seems central to render MC economically viable in the same way as conventional CCS seems profitable only when combined with EOR Large scale projects such as the Skyonic process can help in reducing the knowledge gaps on MC fundamentals and provide accurate costing and data on processes integration and comparison The literature to date indicates that in the coming decades MC can play an important role in decarbonising the power and industrial sector

623 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new database on the chemical composition of suspended matter in World Rivers, together with the associated elemental fluxes is presented, showing that riverine fluxes are similar to anthropogenic fluxes, which casts light on the effect of human activities on the cycles of trace elements at the Earth's surface.

572 citations


Cites background from "Basalt weathering laws and the impa..."

  • ...Indeed, the consumption of CO2 by chemicalweathering of silicate rocks over geological time has played a key role in climate regulation (Berner et al., 1983; Dessert et al., 2003)....

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  • ...Recently, more attention has been paid to the suspended sediment transported by rivers in relation to silicate weathering, which represents a critical step in long-term climate moderation (Gaillardet et al., 1999; Dessert et al., 2003; Gislason et al., 2006)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 2008-Elements
TL;DR: CarbFix as discussed by the authors injects CO2 into permeable basaltic rocks in an attempt to form carbonate minerals directly through a coupled dissolution-precipitation process.
Abstract: A survey of the global carbon reservoirs suggests that the most stable, long-term storage mechanism for atmospheric CO2 is the formation of carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite and magnesite. The feasibility is demonstrated by the proportion of terrestrial carbon bound in these minerals: at least 40,000 times more carbon is present in carbonate rocks than in the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon can be transformed into carbonate minerals either ex situ, as part of an industrial process, or in situ, by injection into geological formations where the elements required for carbonate-mineral formation are present. Many challenges in mineral carbonation remain to be resolved. They include overcoming the slow kinetics of mineral-fluid reactions, dealing with the large volume of source material required and reducing the energy needed to hasten the carbonation process. To address these challenges, several pilot studies have been launched, including the CarbFix program in Iceland. The aim of CarbFix is to inject CO2 into permeable basaltic rocks in an attempt to form carbonate minerals directly through a coupled dissolution-precipitation process.

470 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the rate of carbonate mineral formation is much higher in host rocks that are rich in magnesium- and calcium-bearing minerals, such as basalts and magnesium-rich mantle rocks that have been emplaced on the continents.
Abstract: Anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions continue to increase rapidly despite efforts aimed at curbing the release of such gases. One potentially long-term solution for offsetting these emissions is the capture and storage of carbon dioxide. In principle, fluid or gaseous carbon dioxide can be injected into the Earth's crust and locked up as carbonate minerals through chemical reactions with calcium and magnesium ions supplied by silicate minerals. This process can lead to near-permanent and secure sequestration, but its feasibility depends on the ease and vigour of the reactions. Laboratory studies as well as natural analogues indicate that the rate of carbonate mineral formation is much higher in host rocks that are rich in magnesium- and calcium-bearing minerals. Such rocks include, for example, basalts and magnesium-rich mantle rocks that have been emplaced on the continents. Carbonate mineral precipitation could quickly clog up existing voids, presenting a challenge to this approach. However, field and laboratory observations suggest that the stress induced by rapid precipitation may lead to fracturing and subsequent increase in pore space. Future work should rigorously test the feasibility of this approach by addressing reaction kinetics, the evolution of permeability and field-scale injection methods.

451 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, newly compiled data on the 60 largest rivers of the world are used to calculate the contribution of main lithologies, rain and atmosphere to river dissolved loads, and the relationship between the chemical weathering rates of silicates and the possible controlling parameters are explored.

2,344 citations


"Basalt weathering laws and the impa..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ...Implication of basalt weathering in global silicate CO2 consumption The global flux of atmospheric CO2 consumption rates due to silicate weathering has been determined by different methods (Holland, 1978; Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Amiotte-Suchet and Probst, 1995; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

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  • ...The relationship initially observed between chemical and physical weathering rates of the large rivers (Gaillardet et al., 1999) and on small rivers draining one rock type (Millot et al....

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  • ...This explains why the currently available chemical data from rivers do not allow precise estimates of the global weathering flux coming from basalts and why these small ‘‘basaltic’’ rivers are not taken into account in global budgets (Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

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  • ...The surface of total volcanic islands was taken from the estimate of Gaillardet et al. (1999) of 1.5 106 km2 which corresponds to the surface of oceanic and arc islands including all small islands as well as larger regions as Kamchatka, Iceland, and Indonesia (total area of 1.1 106 km2)....

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  • ...The global flux of atmospheric CO2 consumption rates due to silicate weathering has been determined by different methods (Holland, 1978; Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Amiotte-Suchet and Probst, 1995; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a computer model has been constructed that considers the effects on the CO/sub 2/ level of the atmosphere, and the Ca, Mg, and HCO/sub 3/ levels of the ocean, of the following processes: weathering on the continents of calcite, dolomite, and calcium-and-magnesium-containing silicates; biogenic precipitation and removal of CaCO 3/from the ocean; removal of Mg from the ocean via volcanic-seawater reaction; and the metamorphic-magmatic decarbon
Abstract: A computer model has been constructed that considers the effects on the CO/sub 2/ level of the atmosphere, and the Ca, Mg, and HCO/sub 3/ levels of the ocean, of the following processes: weathering on the continents of calcite, dolomite, and calcium-and-magnesium-containing silicates; biogenic precipitation and removal of CaCO/sub 3/ from the ocean; removal of Mg from the ocean via volcanic-seawater reaction; and the metamorphic-magmatic decarbonation of calcite and dolomite (and resulting CO/sub 2/ degassing) as a consequence of plate subduction. Assuming steady state, values for fluxes to and from the atmosphere and oceans are first derived for the modern ocean-atmosphere system. Then the consequences of perturbing steady state are examined by deriving rate expressions for all transfer reactions. These rate expressions are constructed so as to reflect changes over the past 100 my. Results indicate that the CO/sub 2/ content of the atmosphere is highly sensitive to changes in seafloor spreading rate and continental land area, and, to a much lesser extent, to changes in the relative masses of calcite and dolomite. Consideration of a number of alternative seafloor spreading rate formulations shows that in all cases a several-fold higher CO/sub 2/ level for the Cretaceous atmosphere (65-100 mymore » BP) is obtained via the model. Assuming that CO/sub 2/ level and surface air temperature are positively correlated via an atmospheric greenhouse model, they authors predict Cretaceous paleotemperatures which are in rough general agreement with independent published data. Consequently, their results point to plate tectonics, as it affects both metamorphic-magmatic decarbonation and changes in continental land area, as a major control of world climate.« less

2,003 citations


"Basalt weathering laws and the impa..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ...Implication of basalt weathering in global silicate CO2 consumption The global flux of atmospheric CO2 consumption rates due to silicate weathering has been determined by different methods (Holland, 1978; Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Amiotte-Suchet and Probst, 1995; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

    [...]

  • ...This explains why the currently available chemical data from rivers do not allow precise estimates of the global weathering flux coming from basalts and why these small ‘‘basaltic’’ rivers are not taken into account in global budgets (Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

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  • ...Discussion: carbon cycle and climate During the past decades several authors attempted to explain the variations of the Earth’s surface temperature over geological times (Walker et al., 1981; Berner et al., 1983)....

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  • ...The global flux of atmospheric CO2 consumption rates due to silicate weathering has been determined by different methods (Holland, 1978; Berner et al., 1983; Meybeck, 1987; Amiotte-Suchet and Probst, 1995; Gaillardet et al., 1999)....

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  • ...During the past decades several authors attempted to explain the variations of the Earth’s surface temperature over geological times (Walker et al., 1981; Berner et al., 1983)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
10 Sep 1992-Nature
TL;DR: In particular, tectonically driven increases in chemical weathering may have resulted in a decrease of atmospheric C02 concentration over the past 40 Myr as discussed by the authors. But this was not shown to be the case for the uplift of the Tibetan plateau and positive feedbacks initiated by this event.
Abstract: Global cooling in the Cenozoic, which led to the growth of large continental ice sheets in both hemispheres, may have been caused by the uplift of the Tibetan plateau and the positive feedbacks initiated by this event. In particular, tectonically driven increases in chemical weathering may have resulted in a decrease of atmospheric C02 concentration over the past 40 Myr.

1,924 citations


"Basalt weathering laws and the impa..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Other authors (Raymo et al., 1988; Raymo and Ruddiman, 1992) argued that continental orogenesis is the primary factor determining the rate of chemical weathering and thus Earth’s climate....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the GEOCARB model has been updated with an emphasis on factors affecting CO2 uptake by continental weathering, including the role of plants in chemical weathering and the application of GCMs to study the long-term carbon cycle.
Abstract: Revision of the GEOCARB model (Berner, 1991, 1994) for paleolevels of atmospheric CO2, has been made with emphasis on factors affecting CO2 uptake by continental weathering. This includes: (1) new GCM (general circulation model) results for the dependence of global mean surface temperature and runoff on CO2, for both glaciated and non-glaciated periods, coupled with new results for the temperature response to changes in solar radiation; (2) demonstration that values for the weathering-uplift factor fR(t) based on Sr isotopes as was done in GEOCARB II are in general agreement with independent values calculated from the abundance of terrigenous sediments as a measure of global physical erosion rate over Phanerozoic time; (3) more accurate estimates of the timing and the quantitative effects on Ca-Mg silicate weathering of the rise of large vascular plants on the continents during the Devonian; (4) inclusion of the effects of changes in paleogeography alone (constant CO2 and solar radiation) on global mean land surface temperature as it affects the rate of weathering; (5) consideration of the effects of volcanic weathering, both in subduction zones and on the seafloor; (6) use of new data on the d 13 C values for Phanerozoic limestones and organic matter; (7) consideration of the relative weather- ing enhancement by gymnosperms versus angiosperms; (8) revision of paleo land area based on more recent data and use of this data, along with GCM-based paleo-runoff results, to calculate global water discharge from the continents over time. Results show a similar overall pattern to those for GEOCARB II: very high CO2 values during the early Paleozoic, a large drop during the Devonian and Carbonifer- ous, high values during the early Mesozoic, and a gradual decrease from about 170 Ma to low values during the Cenozoic. However, the new results exhibit considerably higher CO2 values during the Mesozoic, and their downward trend with time agrees with the independent estimates of Ekart and others (1999). Sensitivity analysis shows that results for paleo-CO2 are especially sensitive to: the effects of CO2 fertilization and temperature on the acceleration of plant-mediated chemical weathering; the quantitative effects of plants on mineral dissolution rate for constant temperature and CO2; the relative roles of angiosperms and gymnosperms in accelerating rock weather- ing; and the response of paleo-temperature to the global climate model used. This emphasizes the need for further study of the role of plants in chemical weathering and the application of GCMs to study of paleo-CO2 and the long term carbon cycle.

1,842 citations


"Basalt weathering laws and the impa..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...Since then, this mechanism has been used inmany models reconstructing the carbon cycle changes over geological time scales (Berner, 1991, 1994; Franc ois and Walker, 1992; Goddéris and Franc ois, 1995; Wallman, 2001)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it is suggested that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is buffered, over geological time scales, by a negative feedback mechanism, in which the rate of weathering of silicate minerals (followed by deposition of carbonate minerals) depends on surface temperature, which in turn depends on the carbon dioxide partial pressure through the greenhouse effect.
Abstract: It is suggested that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is buffered, over geological time scales, by a negative feedback mechanism, in which the rate of weathering of silicate minerals (followed by deposition of carbonate minerals) depends on surface temperature, which in turn depends on the carbon dioxide partial pressure through the greenhouse effect. Although the quantitative details of this mechanism are speculative, it appears able to partially stabilize the earth's surface temperature against the steady increase of solar luminosity, believed to have occurred since the origin of the solar system.

1,837 citations


"Basalt weathering laws and the impa..." refers background in this paper

  • ...During the past decades several authors attempted to explain the variations of the Earth’s surface temperature over geological times (Walker et al., 1981; Berner et al., 1983)....

    [...]

  • ...Discussion: carbon cycle and climate During the past decades several authors attempted to explain the variations of the Earth’s surface temperature over geological times (Walker et al., 1981; Berner et al., 1983)....

    [...]