Cda Nickel begins Crawford carbon sequestration pilot

Executive Summary

• Canada Nickel Company Inc. has launched a one-month in situ carbon sequestration pilot study at its Crawford nickel project near Timmins, Ontario.
• The pilot is conducted in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E program, focusing on injecting carbon-enriched water into a 400-meter-deep well to evaluate large-scale carbon capture.
• This initiative is independent of the company's existing IPT carbonation and NetCarb initiatives and aims to support the development of a zero-carbon industrial cluster in Northeastern Ontario.

Key Details

• Pilot Scope: One-month in situ carbon injection pilot at the Crawford nickel project.
• Collaborators: University of Texas at Austin (led by Dr. Estibalitz Ukar) and the U.S. DOE ARPA-E team.
• Funding: Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E program.
• Technical Process: Injection of carbon-enriched water sourced from the Crawford site into a 400-meter-deep well within the ultramafic body.
• Mechanism: Magnesium-rich mineral brucite captures CO2, transforming into secondary minerals such as magnesite and nesquehonite.
• Timeline for Mineralization: CO2-to-rock mineralizing process anticipated to begin within hours of injection; most CO2 expected to turn into solid rock within six months.
• Monitoring Techniques: Groundwater sampling, seismic sensors, gas detectors, and satellite-based surface tracking.
• Strategic Context: Independent of existing IPT carbonation and NetCarb initiatives; results will guide future post-mining carbon sequestration strategies.
• Qualified Person: Arthur G. Stokreef, PEng (Ontario), manager of process engineering and geometallurgy, reviewed and approved the technical information.

Notable Quotes

• Mark Selby, CEO: "We have been very pleased to work with Dr. Ukar and her team at the University of Texas at Austin as they developed a novel carbon sequestration approach to store large volumes of CO2 [carbon dioxide] and create the potential, by precarbonating material before it is mined to both reduce the costs and to improve the value from processing the material. We look forward to the results from this next stage of testing in a real-world field trial."
• Dr. Estibalitz Ukar: "Canada Nickel has been an exceptional partner in this work, providing site access, geological data and active collaboration. Their support of this pilot exemplifies their commitment to responsible mineral development, scientific innovation and climate action. By advancing novel methods for permanent CO2 storage and supporting technologies that can scale globally, Canada Nickel is helping chart a sustainable path forward for the mining sector."