Evolving Carbon Mineralization: From Natural Beginnings in the Earth to Transformative Carbon Management and Resource Recovery Innovations

As global energy consumption increases, meeting the rising need for energy and resources while limiting the detrimental CO2 emissions has become crucial for a sustainable energy and our environmental future. Carbon mineralization is a versatile, thermodynamically downhill pathway that converts CO2 emissions into solid carbonates in nature. Recognizing the scalability and feasibility of this in enabling carbon management at the earth-scale, sustainable pathways are being developed to elucidate and accelerate carbon mineralization pathways.This research topic collection delves into the historical development of carbon mineralization fundamentals, processes and methods, tracing the journey from early chemical approaches to modern advances in harnessing electrochemical and biologically inspired pathways. By examining pivotal breakthroughs and technological advancements, the collection aims to provide a comprehensive review of how fundamental insights into carbon capture and mineralization have evolved. Key concepts include the progression from fundamental chemical reactions, multiscale models integrating carbonate chemistry, and molecular-scale simulations, to on-site implementation and sophisticated, integrated systems that harness renewable energy. Economic and environmental impacts of CO2 capture and mineralization technologies grounded in fundamental scientific principles are needed to evaluate the lessons learned, how they have shaped current practices, and how they are paving the road ahead.The scope of this Research Topic specifically addresses the following aspects: • Fundamentals of CO2 mineralization as divalent metal carbonates: Non-classical crystallization of carbonates • Molecular modeling of carbon transformations and carbonate mineralization Biological and biomimetic methods for mineral carbon capture: From microbially induced carbonate mineralization to enzymatic carbonation • Novel strategies and materials for reducing the carbon footprint of the construction and mining industry • Advances in ex situ and in situ carbon capture and mineralization Geological carbon storage: key learnings from recent advances in the field Topic editors: Greeshma Gadikota, Carlos Rodriguez-Navarro Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/70199/evolving-carbon-mineralization-from-natural-beginnings-in-the-earth-to-transformative-carbon-management-and-resource-recovery-innovations