Geophysical delineation of Mg-rich ultramafic rocks for mineral carbon sequestration

This presentation covers three general topics: (1) description of a new geologic compilation of the United States that shows the location of magnesium-rich ultramafic rocks in the conterminous United States; (2) conceptual illustration of the potential ways that ultramafic rocks could be used to sequester carbon dioxide; and (3) description of ways to use geophysical data to refine and extend the geologic mapping of ultramafic rocks and to better characterize their mineralogy.

The geophysical focus of this research is twofold. First, we illustrate how airborne magnetic data can be used to map the shallow subsurface geometry of ultramafic rocks for the purpose of estimating the volume of rock material available for mineral CO₂ sequestration. Secondly, we explore, on a regional to outcrop scale, how magnetic mineralogy, as expressed in magnetic anomalies, may vary with magnesium minerals, which are the primary minerals of interest for CO₂ sequestration.