Scaling MCi Carbon technology
On April 11 2023, the MCi Carbon Plant was approved by Newcastle City Council. It will be one of the world’s first mineral carbonation demonstration plants, converting thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions annually into building products and other valuable materials for the circular economy.
The continuous processing demonstration scale plant will operate rapid validation customer campaigns, empowering hard-to-abate industries, such as steel, cement, chemicals, and mining, to decarbonise their operations.
The MCi Team will test the reactivity of industrial mineral feedstocks with captured CO2 and simulated flue gas, simultaneously delivering products (such as magnesium and calcium carbonates, and amorphous silica) to materials offtake customers for testing.
Construction of the demonstration plant at Orica’s Kooragang Island manufacturing site will begin in 2023, attached to a supply of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Orica’s operations. The scale of the demonstration plant is expected to be between 1000 - 3000 tonnes of CO2, captured and stored permanently in building materials and other valuable products annually.
The process is called mineral carbonation, a carbon dioxide capture and utilisation (CCU) technology solution in which CO2 is captured and then used to produce a new product.
For general information about the current exploration licences and applications, please contact comms@mcicarbon.com.
Any media enquiries, please contact the MCi Carbon Media Contacts
About the MCi Carbon Plant
Building Australia's Carbon Capture and Utilisation Flagship
Shovels in the ground at Kooragang Island
The project was initiated in 2016 with the establishment of the semi-continuous pilot plant. Future MCi Carbon Plants could scale up to several million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion and removal in any suitable industrial site.
MCi can also partner with direct air capture (DAC) technologies, a chemical process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured directly from the atmosphere, with subsequent storage.
The curation and design of the demonstration plant has been informed by intensive industrial programs, customer projects and low-carbon materials product testing conducted at the MCi Pilot Plant at the University of Newcastle.
Transforming industrial emissions permanently and safely
Demonstrating decarbonisation for heavy industry
With direct investment, design and engineering support, Orica is advancing a strategic focus on circularity by implementing the use of negative emissions technologies (NETs) across their business operations to reach net zero and create value from waste. Recently, Orica shared how they have successfully eliminated the first 250,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) from the Kooragang Island manufacturing facility. Read more.
Waste CO2 reacts with alkaline materials, such as calcium or magnesium found in other industrial waste streams, to produce a range of lower-carbon products for construction, manufacturing and consumer markets.
The MCi Carbon Plant will allow MCi to rapidly validate customer projects and dramatically reduce timelines for final investment decisions on future decarbonisation plants.
Exploration activities across New South Wales
Responsibly identifying suitable feedstocks
MCi Carbon is commited to ensuring all activities are conducted in close collaboration and consultation with the community. The MCi Team operates in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in close consultation with communties, and in accordance with our Safety, Health and Environment policies.
The MCi process involves the identification of suitable feedstocks, such as minerals, tailings or wastes, for pre-processing. Through grinding and thermal activation, the feedstocks are made more reactive before being exposed to a source of CO2.
