Enhanced rock weathering involves accelerating the natural process by which rock breaks down, and in the process capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This can be done by spreading out silicate rocks on agricultural land but there is also research underway to find bacteria that can help speed up the process, bioweathering.

On our website:

Q&A with Dr Neil Dalvie

News articles

“Calls for caution as enhanced rock weathering shows carbon capture promise”, Mongabay. Article by Sean Mowbray

Scientific papers

The contribution of living organisms to rock weathering in the critical zone

Bioweathering for remediation

Resources

For more on enhanced rock weathering field trials:

  • Enhanced Rock Weathering explainer from the MIT Climate Portal
  • Agricultural/terrestrial examples:
  • Ocean/coastal example:
    • Vesta field trials in Dominican Republic, New York and North Carolina – read more about their field trials, community engagement approach, and early research findings
  • Contained bioreactor example:
    • Cytochrome is nearing building its first ocean water treatment facility with contained bioreactors in Los Angeles, CA
    • SCAPE seeks to recover critical minerals from bioreactors