The future of mining needs to be carbon negative

Episode 31 is with Paul Needham, CEO of Arca.

Today Na’im speaks with Paul Needham about the potential for accelerated carbon mineralization using mine waste as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) method to decarbonize mining. Mining will play a huge role in the energy transition given the huge need of critical metals - and CDR can help ensure it’s done in a net-zero fashion.

Arca is working to stop - and reverse - climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from the air and transforming it into rock, where it is safely stored forever. Co-founded by Professor Greg Dipple and other geoscientists from the University of British Columbia, Arca has developed technologies that accelerate a natural geochemical process called carbon mineralization. Arca works with producers of critical metals, such as nickel, repurposing mine waste to deploy industrial-scale carbon dioxide removal solutions.

Arca just announced a partnership with BHP, one of the world’s largest producers of nickel for the EV industry, to launch the world’s first accelerated carbon mineralization project at an active nickel mine in Western Australia. 

The company’s technology has been recognized with a $1 million XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal. 

About Paul Needham

Paul is a multi-time company founder and CEO, with three exits. Paul serves as board member to a venture fund that invests in African clean energy entrepreneurs, and is Senior Advisor to the D-REC Organization which is accelerating investment in clean energy in developing countries. Paul co-founded, built, and sold India’s largest rooftop solar leasing company, providing access to clean energy to at least 250,000 people in rural India. Paul has a Masters Degree in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge and is now CEO of Arca, the carbon mineralization company.

In this episode, Na’im and Paul discuss:

• Paul’s journey into carbon removal and Arca’s founding history, from its academic roots to becoming a CDR company;

• The clean energy paradox;

• The science behind Arca’s approach;

• Arca’s solution to help the mining industry decarbonize;

• The process of partnering with mining companies;

• Arca’s role in mining industry’s objective to decarbonize;

• Arca’s partnership with BHP;

• Arca’s technologies in development around measurement and verification and their methodology;

• Ways in which government around the world could support CDR; and

• The company’s current and future priorities.

Relevant Links:

• Arca’s partnership with BHP to launch a new pilot project at BHP’s Mt Keith Nickel West mine in Australia

• Arca’s People Page

• Arca’s LinkedIn page

• Arca’s Dr. Greg Dipple and Paul Needham on This Is CDR [Webinar]

• Arca winning the XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal

• BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE)

This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.

Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.

Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.

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