The critical role of bacteria in mineral carbonation of kimberlite

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dc.contributor.authorJones, TRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPoitras, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSenzani, Ken_AU
dc.contributor.authorNdlovu, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorVietti, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPaterson, DJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilson, SAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSoutham, Gen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-12-10T23:19:32Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-12-10T23:19:32Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2022-07-12en_AU
dc.date.statistics2023-03-30en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe breakdown of ultramafic rock during natural weathering captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to form carbonate minerals. Kimberlite, an ultramafic rock that can produce diamond weathers when exposed to water. These water-rock interactions also contribute to the growth of bacteria, which accelerate the weathering process. Yellow ground (oxidized Kimberlite found at the surface) samples from the South African Voorspoed and Kareevlei mines contained both molecular signatures (16SrDNA) and viable bacteria. Our molecular analyses highlighted a bacterial population consistent with serpentinite soils and demonstrated that bacteria play a role in yellow ground formation. These yellow ground cultures can grow using only kimberlite as a substrate, promoting weathering in order to live, and providing cultures that are important to natural weathering, yellow ground formation and subsequent mineral carbonation. In order to demonstrate the importance of biology in mineral carbonation of kimberlite, we performed X-Ray Fluorescent Microscopy (XFM) at the Australian Synchrotron to obtain structural and compositional analysis of the South African Venetia mine’s massive volcaniclastic kimberlite (MVK) Coarse Residue Deposit (CRD) with and without biofilm (weathering), 50-year-old Cullinan CRD and definitive, friable Kareevlei yellow ground. These analyses demonstrated that calcium, potassium and iron can be used as tracers for weathering and mineral carbonation. Our small laboratory and larger (1000 L) field-based mineral carbonation experiments both demonstrated the importance of photosynthetic biofilms in the carbonation of kimberlite residue. All of our experiments produced intergranular cements, which stabilised the CRD residue, providing a strategy to increase mine safety while sequestering carbon. We observed continued mineral carbonation with depth demonstrating that carbonation will continue as the kimberlite is buried on the mine site, which will achieve even greater carbon offsets than anticipated. Our pilot scale field experiment demonstrated that we offset 20% (on a mass equivalent) of the annual mine emissions in one year using bacterial carbonation, with the likelihood of continued carbonation ensuring that we will have the capacity to produce a carbon neutral mine.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationJones, T. R., Poitras, J., Senzani, K., Ndlovu, S., Vietti, A., Paterson, D. J., Wilson, S. A., & Southam, G. (2022). The critical role of bacteria in mineral carbonation of kimberlite. Paper presented to 2022 Goldschmidt Conference, 10-15 July 2022, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA and Online. Retrieved from: https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2022/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/11771en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate2022-07-15en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencename2022 Goldschmidt Conferenceen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceHonolulu, Hawaii, & Onlineen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate2022-07-10en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2022/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/11771en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/15282en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherGoldschmidten_AU
dc.subjectBacteriaen_AU
dc.subjectRocksen_AU
dc.subjectWeatheringen_AU
dc.subjectCardon dioxideen_AU
dc.subjectWateren_AU
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_AU
dc.subjectMinesen_AU
dc.subjectKimberlitesen_AU
dc.titleThe critical role of bacteria in mineral carbonation of kimberliteen_AU
dc.typeConference Presentationen_AU
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