Ex situ CO2 mineralization via nesquehonite: A first attempt for an industrial application

A novel method to synthesize nesquehonite, MgCO₃ · 3H₂O, via reaction of a flux of gaseous CO₂ with Mg chloride solution at ambient conditions, performed using a reactor, is here described. The reaction rate of the process is rapid, with deposition of abundant carbonate in few minutes. The results of a multi-disciplinary methodology, including SEM-EDAX, XRD, ICP-AES and thermal analysis, suggest that the application of our method at industrial scale can be considered. Moreover, the possibility to involve in the process saline wastewater as source of Mg makes the method a promising complementary solution in the sequestration of anthropogenic CO₂ at the expense of saline wastewater.