Could crushed rock save our Climate change crisis?


 

There is a well-known chemical reaction that has rocks are weathered or as water erodes rocks that carbon dioxide is absorbed and it’s estimated that approximately 1 Gt of carbon dioxide is absorbed every year by this natural weathering process. Man-made pollution generates about 35 Gt of carbon dioxide every year. Some researchers have proposed that if pulverised rock were put into the sea this would simulate the natural weathering process and if this process was scaled up significantly approximately hundred giga tons of carbon dioxide could be sequestered every year. This could significantly reduce the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and reverse global warming. But there are problems. Although the initial chemical process is straightforward what is unknown is about all the other factors. How would biodiversity be impacted where would these minerals be deployed? How much would this process cost? Would there be any unintended consequences to this action? And possibly the most important question who would be responsible and pay for this project?

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