Carbon Sequestration in Resource Industry Residues
A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 June 2026 | Viewed by 5
Special Issue Editors
Interests: environmental microbiology; biotechnology; molecular biology; metal extraction; biohydrometallurgy; recycling of mine tailings/slag; spent (EV) batteries; CO2 capture and mineralization; biofuels; energy; pollution and waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain the leading driver of global climate change, with carbon dioxide (CO2) contributing nearly 80% of total emissions, followed by methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. The mining and mineral processing industries are among the most energy- and carbon-intensive sectors, responsible for about 7% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions equivalent to more than 1.5 trillion tonnes of CO2 annually. These emissions intensify global warming, ozone depletion, and ecosystem degradation. The industrial and mining sectors generate billions of tonnes of alkaline residues each year, including mafic and ultramafic tailings, slags, and other silicate-rich materials. Despite their environmental challenges, these materials present a unique opportunity for CO2 sequestration through mineral carbonation, enabling long-term carbon storage and contributing to a sustainable, low-carbon future. Moreover, they represent a secondary source of critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements, supporting the transition toward a circular, low-carbon economy. Recent advances in physical, chemical, and biologically enhanced mineral carbonation (including microbial and enzymatic approaches) are improving CO2 fixation and mineral transformation under ambient conditions. However, complex mineralogical structures, such as asbestos fibres and serpentine-group minerals in ultramafic tailings, often limit carbonation efficiency, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies to enhance reactivity and long-term stability.
This Special Issue of Minerals, titled “Carbon Sequestration in Resource Industry Residues”, aims to present cutting-edge research integrating mineralogy, geochemistry, materials science, and biotechnology to advance sustainable carbon management. We invite contributions on the following topics: (1) CO2 sequestration and geochemical pathways; (2) CO2 capture and utilization for value-added products; (3) advanced material characterization and process optimization; (4) applications of machine learning and AI. This Special Issue seeks to promote interdisciplinary research that accelerates carbon neutrality and resource sustainability, offering transformative solutions for a net-zero mining future.
Dr. Kamalpreet Kaur
Dr. Ali Asgarian
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- carbon sequestration
- mining waste
- circular economy
- biomineralization
- critical minerals
- biomaterials
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