Dr Dia Milani
Oral presentation: Closing the Carbon Loop in the Mining Sector: A Solar-Integrated Mineralisation Paradigm
When: Monday October 26, 4:20pm – 6pm; Session 3E – CDR on the rocks
Dia Milani
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About the presentation:
This CSIRO conference paper (Milani et al., GHGT-18, 2026) demonstrates a compelling pathway to turn mine waste into a large-scale carbon sink by integrating accelerated mineral carbonation (AMC), direct air capture (DAC), and concentrated solar power (CSP). Applied to a nominal Australian nickel mine, the system uses ammonium-sulfate roasting, leaching, precipitation, and carbonation to convert Mg-rich serpentine/olivine tailings into stable MgCO₃, while a solar central-receiver system with 10 h of molten-salt storage supplies ~90% of the required heat and power. The integrated system produces 175.7 kt/year of carbonated product and permanently sequesters 92.2 kt/year of atmospheric CO₂, delivering a 204% net-negative emissions swing relative to diesel-based business-as-usual operations. Beyond carbon removal, the approach opens a pathway for critical-metal co-recovery, positioning mine tailings as both a resource for critical minerals and a durable sink for atmospheric CO₂.
An article on Dr Milani is available here: Meet the researcher: Dr Dia Milani