Carbon-negative nickel farming
We use nickel hyperaccumulator plants to harvest nickel from soils while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the enhanced rock weathering of minerals.
Magnesium silicate rocks are quarried, then crushed using hydroelectric power.
Crushed rock is laid on fields sown with hyperaccumulator plants.
Water, CO₂, & rock interact to cause weathering, releasing magnesium ions and trace amounts of nickel.
As the plants grow, they draw nickel up into their biomass.
Plants are harvested then processed for nickel.
The CO₂ becomes bound in bicarbonate, which along with magnesium, runs off to the ocean for long-term storage as alkalinity.
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Nature-based technologies.
We then operate farms, optimizing plant growth and nickel uptake, then harvest the biomass. Soil and pore water samples are taken prior, during, and after the farming season to quantify carbon dioxide removal.
Through the unique (and patent pending) combination of two nature-based technologies, Nickel Phytomining and Enhanced Rock Weathering, we are able to turn plants and minerals into nickel and carbon dioxide removal credits. They can be sold individually or together as NegativeNickel™
Gigatonnes of potential
To restore the climate to pre-industrial levels of CO2 and protect the future of the planet, over 1 trillion tonnes of CO₂ needs to be removed from the Earth’s atmosphere by the end of the century.
All of the climate models that limit global warming to 1.5°F (2.7°F), require gigatonnes (Gt) of CDR by 2050, and we are on track to need around 8 Gt minimum. Today humanity is only permanently removing around 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Metalplant’s mission is to harness the world’s insatiable nickel demand and related supply chain investments to drive gigatonne-scale, profitable CDR. All while producing the world’s cleanest, greenest nickel that is a critical mineral for the clean energy transition.
Our team is on a mission to scale up carbon dioxide removal and provide the nickel required to support society’s clean energy transition in a way that benefits local and global communities.
