Regional scale 3D modelling of magnetic data to assess carbon mineralization potential of serpentenized ultramafic rocks in the Yukon

Description

Serpentinized ultramafic rocks contain minerals that are highly reactive with CO2. These rocks are becoming increasingly recognized for their potential to act as atmospheric CO2 sinks. Carbon mineralization locks CO2 in carbonate minerals and stores it over geological time scales. This is a naturally occurring process but one that can be accelerated through increasing the available surface area of serpentinized material, or through injection of CO2-enriched fluids into serpentinized rock substrates. The Yukon has significant occurrences of ultramafic rock throughout the territory, covering a mapped areal extent of approximately 2000 km2. This work represents a preliminary attempt to review territorial opportunities for carbon mineralization via ultramafic rocks. Regional scale magnetic data which can help identify serpentinized parts of ultramafic bodies was used to remotely locate prospective ultramafic rocks in the Yukon, and to model targeted bodies in 3D to derive their volumes and estimate their CO2 mineralization capacities. Local volumes of serpentinized rock modelled within the depth interval of 0 to -4000 m range up to 361 km3, and total capacity estimated for all modelled sites in the Yukon from 0 to -4000 m depth is >1600 GtCO2. In order to meet emissions-offset targets required to mitigate climate change, such natural carbon sinks providing potentially large storage capacities must be considered part of the solution. Results of this study, based on regional-scale public datasets, are meant as a guide to direct future investigations with higher resolution mapping, data collection, and modelling, together with necessary consideration to existing land ownership, land use, infrastructure, and access.

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Name Format Description Link
Yukon Geological Survey publication metadata HTML https://data.geology.gov.yk.ca/Reference/96055
Original metadata (https://open.yukon.ca) HTML https://open.yukon.ca/information/9bb22249-fa36-4bbd-ae3d-9f7287acdb29
Appendices ZIP https://ygsftp.gov.yk.ca/ApexUploads/Publications/96055/MR-26_Appendices.zip
Report PDF https://ygsftp.gov.yk.ca/ApexUploads/Publications/96055/MR-26.pdf

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