Basalt rocks - The new climate solution

Scientists from the University of Illinois, collaborating with Eion Corp., have cracked a climate change puzzle. They've shown that powdered basalt rock, when spread over farm fields, can soak up substantial amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas. 

This technique, known as enhanced weathering, might revolutionize traditional farming which often releases soil-based CO2. With basalt spread on the fields, it traps the carbon before it escapes to the air. Over time, reactions within the rock produce bicarbonate. This compound then safely integrates with groundwater, redirecting CO2. 

Historically, measuring the exact carbon-capturing power of this method was challenging. But the Illinois scientists determined the amount of CO2 captured using basalt on both maize and miscanthus crops. With such insights, farmers could earn valuable carbon credits. 

Study co-author Evan DeLucia remarked, "Using basalt on farms could benefit both the environment and agriculture by improving crop yields and reducing CO2." Their ground-breaking five-year study, executed at the Illinois Energy Farm, is now accessible in Global Change Biology Bioenergy. 

This research also ties into global efforts. It's part of an initiative with the Leverhulme Centre in the UK, which examines enhanced weathering across different continents. 

Crucially, the weathering process accelerates when basalt is ground finely. The resulting chemical reactions lock the CO2 into the water cycle. The Illinois team figured out the CO2 reduction rate by studying the elements in the soil after basalt application. 

Their findings were remarkable. Enhanced weathering reduced atmospheric CO2 loss by 42% in maize plots. When combined with conservation techniques, maize could even become a net carbon storage. For miscanthus crops, carbon storage more than doubled. 

As the urgency to address climate change grows, tools to quantify carbon-saving methods become vital. Ilsa Kantola, one of the study's contributors, emphasized the need to measure these savings to compare options better.