Planetary’s proprietary technology purifies mine waste into a mild, nontoxic antacid which is then released into the ocean through existing, regulated outfalls such as wastewater or stormwater streams where it is consistently monitored. When mixed with seawater, the antacid restores the ocean’s pH levels and accelerates the ocean’s natural process of pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Restoring the ocean’s balance also helps to reverse the damage caused by ocean acidification resulting from climate change.
As the mine waste is purified, clean hydrogen is produced as a by-product, allowing hard-to-decarbonize industries to limit their use of fossil fuel. The purification process also extracts metals that can be used in batteries, another important tool for a future low-carbon economy.
Planetary plans to open pilot plants in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and the UK in late 2022, which will demonstrate a scaled version of its patented process. The pilot plants will come online in phases in coordination with a major oceans research project and local partners to continually monitor local effects and fine-tune Planetary’s platform.