map marker Canada | February 27, 2026

A mining-focused white paper on geochemical carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathways, real-world deployment, Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV), and feasibility considerations for operators.

Mining has a critical role to play in delivering durable carbon dioxide removal, if it can be done credibly, and at scale. This white paper distills insights from WSP’s collaboration with Isometric, RMI, mine operators, and technology suppliers to explore how geochemical CDR can move from potential to practice. It focuses on real-world deployment, including current challenges which need to be addressed, as well as key technical as well as economic feasibility considerations which need to be assessed prior to implementation.

Mining operations are intensifying decarbonization efforts, yet hard to abate emissions persist. Geochemical carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathways present a durable, scalable solution with the added potential for value creation. My hope is that our white paper will help facilitate meaningful dialogue on deploying CDR across the mining industry.

What you’ll learn

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Which geochemical CDR pathways are relevant to the mining sector (enhanced mineralization and alkalinity enhancement / enhanced rock weathering).

 

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Where mining has built-in advantages: scale, co-located feedstock, and integration into processing/tailings practices.

 

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What the co-benefits are when implementing these geochemical CDR pathways.

 

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What the current challenges are: MRV (monitoring, reporting, verification), carbon market maturity, technology readiness, potential environmental impacts, Engineer of Record concurrence, and mine closure.

 

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What key technical and economic feasibility considerations need to be assessed before implementing geochemical CDR at your site?

 
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As a mining company, we have resources we can deploy directly to address our own carbon. Developing carbon removal projects internally is more credible for us than simply buying offsets, especially when it comes to managing residual emissions.

Inside the whitepaper

  • Durable geochemical CDR pathways for mining: enhanced mineralization and alkalinity enhancement pathways relevant to mine operations and landscapes.
  • Roadmap to implementation: technical feasibility (feedstock, operational, and social) and economic feasibility considerations (carbon credits, avoided costs, and carbon reductions across the value chain).
  • Case Studies: examples of mining-focused geochemical CDR pathways across tailings, processing streams, enhanced weathering, and pit lakes.
Download the white paper

Built for mining reality

Mining operators are already moving material on a massive scale. This white paper focuses on how that reality can support durable geochemical CDR, without ignoring what matters most: safety, integrity, and long-term site outcomes.

WSP co-leads an industry working group with Isometric and RMI to help adopt and scale geochemical CDR in the mining sector through a series of workshops, technical sessions, and conference participation.

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MRV is what builds trust. It’s how we show, scientifically and transparently, that a tonne of CO₂ has actually been removed and durably stored, and that the claim stands up to scrutiny.

FAQ

No. CDR is positioned as a complement to emissions reduction for residual/hard-to-abate emissions.

The pathways covered store CO₂ in long-lived forms such as solid carbonates or dissolved inorganic carbon.

Credible crediting and buyer confidence depend on robust monitoring, transparent reporting, and third-party verification.

Potential impacts on tailings/geochemistry and geotechnical performance, EoR concurrence, and closure constraints vary by pathway.

Monetization today is possible within voluntary markets; compliance markets are evolving and will require regulatory changes to allow the use of these credits.

 

Ready to evaluate durable CDR options for your mine site?

Download the whitepaper for a grounded view of pathways, deployment status, and a practical roadmap to get started.

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How can the mining industry unlock gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to support global net-zero goals?

In this Canadian Climate Week Xchange webinar, experts from WSP, Anglo American, Stripe Climate & Frontier, and Isometric explore how mining operations, and especially mine waste and tailings, can become powerful climate solutions through geochemical mineralization.

 

Watch the discussion that informed this whitepaper Arrow

 
 

Watch the discussion that informed this whitepaper.

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