Sustainability analysis of basalt enhanced weathering in China under the carbon neutrality pathway

[Geoengineering News]

‎https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195925526000703

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Authors: Xinyu Chen, Xuan Wang, Xiaoping Jia, Siqi Wang, Raymond R. Tan, Bohong Wang, Fang Wang 

23 February 2026

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2026.108396

Highlights

•Integrated EEIO–LCA framework for national-wide basalt enhanced weathering.

•Energy-intensive comminution to substantially offsets CDR gains.

•Macroeconomic ripple effects on mining, electricity and transport sectors are estimated.

•Grid decarbonization is the single most critical intervention to maximize CDR.

Abstract

Enhanced weathering (EW) of basalt is a promising negative emission technology (NET) for carbon dioxide removal (CDR), yet its large-scale sustainability remains uncertain, particularly in energy-intensive economies like China. This work develops an environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) model to evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of basalt EW deployment under China's carbon neutrality pathway. This framework integrates life-cycle emissions from mining, comminution, transportation, and cropland application, quantifying trade-offs between CDR potential and process-related carbon footprints. The results reveal a critical “amplified-offset” effect: at a 20% emissions reduction target, electricity-sector emissions surge by 9.8 Gt CO₂e due to energy-intensive comminution, inflating deployment requirements to 521% of theoretical estimates and offsetting a large fraction of the sequestration benefits. Spatial analysis uncovers regional disparities, with the Yangtze Plain and North China Plain offering optimal conditions, whereas other regions require 76–172% more resources due to significantly longer transport distances and the spatial mismatch between basalt quarries and farmland. Optimizing particle size (<10 μm) balances dissolution kinetics and energy consumption, while even finer grinds deliver net-negative returns. For the EW system, grid decarbonization is pivotal; clean electricity reduces deployment needs by 76%, and heavy-duty trucks lower transport emissions by 60%. This study underscores that basalt EW's viability in China hinges on decarbonized power supply, logistics optimization, and optimized particle-size control. Without these measures, supply-chain emissions may outweigh CDR gains. These results highlight the need for integrated policy and technological development to achieve scalable CDR deployment.

Source: ScienceDirect