Thermal stability of artinite, dypingite and brugnatellite—Implications for the geosequestration of green house gases

The approach to remove green house gases by pumping liquefied carbon dioxide several kilometres below the ground implies that many carbonate containing minerals will be formed. Among these minerals the formation of dypingite, artinite and if the ferric iron is present brugnatellite are possible; thus necessitating a study of the thermal stability of such minerals. The thermal stability of two carbonate bearing minerals dypingite and artinite together with brugnatellite with a hydrotalcite related formulae have been characterised by a combination of thermogravimetry and evolved gas mass spectrometry. Artinite is thermally stable up to 352 °C. Two mass loss steps are observed at 219 and 355 °C. Dypingite decomposes at a similar temperature but over a large number of steps. Brugnatellite shows greater stability with decomposition not occurring until after 577 °C. The thermal decomposition of brugnatellite occurs over a number of mass decomposition steps. It is concluded that pumping liquefied green house gases into magnesium bearing mineral deposits is feasible providing a temperature of 350–355 °C is not exceeded to prevent escape of CO2 towards the surface. In contrast, the water loss occurring at lower temperatures could have a positive effect on the geosequestration of CO2 as it probably causes a decrease in the molar volume of secondary carbonate minerals and consequently an increase in aquifer porosity.