Carbon Direct and Arca are joining forces to increase the number and scale of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) projects using industrial mineralization (IMin) technology.
The two recognized sector players will work together to bring Arca’s first-of-its-kind IMin carbon removal credits to market.
Arca has developed the first field‑scale system that speeds up CO2 mineralization in mine waste, converting a major industry challenge into a scalable CDR solution.
The Canada-based company has validated this technology in real-world conditions and is currently gathering data to power its further advancement, set on a mission of potentially removing millions of tonnes of CO2 over the coming decade.
Under the newly announced partnership, Carbon Direct will act as a co-developer on Arca’s future IMin projects, contributing scientific expertise and carbon market knowledge towards the delivery of credits that will meet the highest standards for durability, measurement, and verification.
Arca CEO Paul Needham shared the company is looking forward to working with Carbon Direct as a thought partner and enabler. In his opinion, this collaboration with Carbon Direct on new IMin projects will help the company scale this technology quicker.
He added, “Our stakeholders, customers, and industrial partners will value objective industry-leading expertise to de-risk decisions about projects, offtakes, and new technology adoption.”
Natural carbon mineralization is a slow process in which alkaline rocks react with and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Arca’s technology accelerates this process in alkaline rock waste from heavy industries like mining and steelmaking, leveraging industrial expertise and existing infrastructure to durably store CO2 as stable minerals for over 10,000 years.
Relevant: Microsoft Purchases Nearly 300,000 Tonnes Of Durable CDR From Arca
This creates a scalable high-quality CDR solution that can be integrated into mining operations worldwide, where it would tackle atmospheric CO2 emissions from an industry that generates 16.5 billion tonnes of suitable legacy mining waste globally and produces 3 billion tonnes annually.
The huge potential of this pathway has already been recognized by major market players, including Microsoft and Frontier, who have both signed CDR agreements with Arca.
Having successfully completed a pilot with mining giant BHP, Arca is now eyeing a global expansion of operations, which will initially include project development in Australia in partnership with the Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation.
Read more: Arca & Giga Metals To Explore CDR At Nickel Mine In Canada
