Patent ID: 7722842

Claim:
A method for mineral carbonation of carbon dioxide comprising, providing a particulate magnesium-containing mineral; exposing said magnesium-containing mineral to an aqueous solution containing from about 0.5 to about 5.0% by weight of a weak acid to dissolve magnesium from said mineral and form a magnesium-containing solution; physically activating the surface of said particulate magnesium-containing mineral by fluidizing said particulate magnesium-containing mineral with grinding media, ultrasonic energy, or microwave energy to expose and dissolve additional magnesium into said solution; separating the remaining particulate from said magnesium-containing solution; mixing a gas containing carbon dioxide with said magnesium-containing solution; and increasing the pH of said magnesium-containing solution to form magnesium carbonate and to remove carbon dioxide from said carbon dioxide containing gas.