gscienceMining Science and Technology (Russia)Горные науки и технологии2500-0632The National University of Science and Technology MISiIS (NUST MISIS)10.17073/2500-0632-2025-12-1065gscience-1065Research ArticleMINING ROCK PROPERTIES. ROCK MECHANICS AND GEOPHYSICSСВОЙСТВА ГОРНЫХ ПОРОД. ГЕОМЕХАНИКА И ГЕОФИЗИКАPotential for using belite sludge from the Achinsk Alumina Refinery to reduce the carbon footprint of aluminum productionПотенциал использования белитовых шламов Ачинского глиноземного комбината для снижения углеродного следа алюминиевого производстваhttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-5971-8070МакаровВ. А.MakarovV. A.

Владимир Александрович Макаров – доктор геолого-минералогических наук, профессор, заведующий кафедрой геологии месторождений и методики разведки, Институт цветных металлов и материаловедения

г. Красноярск

Scopus ID 57188966055

SPIN-код 8941-0236

Vladimir A. Makarov – Dr. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Professor, Head of the Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits and Exploration Methods, Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials Science,

Krasnoyarsk

Scopus ID 57188966055

SPIN 8941-0236

vmakarov58s@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-1191-5834КулемуЛ. Т.KoulemouL. T.

Лоран Тьебо Кулему – аспирант кафедры геологии месторождений и методики разведки, Институт цветных металлов и материаловедения

г. Красноярск

Laurent Thiebo Koulemou – PhD Student, Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits and Exploration Methods, Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials Science

Krasnoyarsk

laurentthiebokoulemou1999@gmail.comhttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-2503-6448МихеевВ. Г.MikheevV. G.

Владимир Георгиевич Михеев – кандидат геолого-минералогических наук, профессор кафедры геологии месторождений и методики разведки

г. Красноярск

SPIN-код 2100-3262

Vladimir G. Mikheev – Cand. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Professor, Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits and Exploration Methods, Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials Science,

Krasnoyarsk

SPIN 2100-3262

vmikheev1938@mail.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6075-968XЛобастовБ. М.LobastovB. M.

Борис Михайлович Лобастов – старший преподаватель кафедры геологии, минералогии и петрографии, Институт цветных металлов и материаловедения

г. Красноярск

Scopus ID 57211486240

SPIN-код 4368-7330

Boris M. Lobastov – Senior Lecturer, Department of Geology, Mineralogy and Petrography, Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials Science

Krasnoyarsk

Scopus ID 57211486240

SPIN 4368-7330

lbm02@ya.ruСибирский федеральный университетРоссияSiberian Federal UniversityRussian Federation2026200420261114655Copyright © Makarov V.A., Koulemou L.T., Mikheev V.G., Lobastov B.M., 20262026Макаров В.А., Кулему Л.Т., Михеев В.Г., Лобастов Б.М.Makarov V.A., Koulemou L.T., Mikheev V.G., Lobastov B.M.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://mst.misis.ru/jour/article/view/1065

Certain types of waste from mining and metallurgical industry have the potential to directly absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, as some of them contain minerals capable of carbonation. The paper demonstrates that belite sludges from the Achinsk Alumina Refinery (AAR, RUSAL Achinsk JSC), a byproduct of processing nepheline ores from the Kiya-Shaltyrskoye deposit, possess this property. An investigation of the variability in the mineral composition of the sludges as a function of storage duration in the sludge field (sludge storage facility), across the duration intervals of 0–5, 5–25, 25–50 years revealed a steady decrease in the content of calcium silicates (larnite, wollastonite, merwinite) and an increase in the content of carbonates as the sludge aged from fresh to old. This study examines the factors influencing the rate of sludge carbonation including those observed under conditions typical of an operational sludge storage facility. The electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis of the sludge revealed the porous structure of the silicate particles in the sludge, as well as the extent to which they had been replaced by calcite. An assessment has been conducted of this storage facility’s potential for carbon dioxide deposition through the carbonation of silicate minerals in sludge that are chemically unstable under atmospheric conditions. Based on the results of the analysis and literature data on the CO2 absorption capacity of calcium silicates under atmospheric conditions, it was concluded that larnite has the maximum absorption potential in belite sludges. Based on the conditions at the ARR’s belite sludge storage facility, the maximum volume of CO2 that can be absorbed during complete interaction between larnite and atmospheric air has been calculated. The absorption capacity of one ton of the sludge solely due to larnite (with its content of 32.6%) is 83.3 kg of CO2, and taking into account wollastonite and merwinite, the total potential reaches 262 kg/t. The scale and dynamics of the process of converting silicates into carbonates in the sludge storage facility will allow the volume of absorbed carbon dioxide to be taken into account in calculations of the carbon footprint of the enterprise’s end-use product, aluminum produced from nepheline ore.

Ряд отходов горно-металлургического производства обладает возможностью прямого поглощения углекислого газа CO2 из атмосферы, поскольку некоторые из них содержат минералы, способные к карбонизации. В статье показано, что такой способностью обладают белитовые шламы Ачинского глиноземного комбината (АГК, АО «РУСАЛ Ачинск») – отходы переработки нефелиновых руд Кия-Шалтырского месторождения. Изучение изменчивости минерального состава шлама в зависимости от времени его хранения на шламовом поле в возрастных интервалах 0–5, 5–25, 25–50 лет показало устойчивое снижение содержания силикатов кальция (ларнит, волластонит, мервинит) и рост содержания карбонатов в ряду от свежих шламов к лежалым. Рассмотрены факторы, влияющие на скорость карбонизации шламов, в том числе проявляющиеся в условиях действующего шламохранилища. Электронно-микроскопическое изучение шламов (СЭМ-ЭДС) показало пористую структуру силикатных частиц шлама, а также характер замещения их кальцитом. Выполнена оценка потенциала данного хранилища для депонирования углекислого газа за счет карбонизации силикатных минералов шламов, химически неустойчивых в атмосферных условиях. По результатам проведенного анализа и литературным данным по поглощающей способности CO2 силикатами кальция в атмосферных условиях сделан вывод, что максимальным потенциалом поглощения в белитовых шламах обладает ларнит. Применительно к условиям хранилища белитовых шламов АГК рассчитан предельный объем CO2, который может быть поглощен при полном взаимодействии ларнита с атмосферным воздухом. Поглотительная способность одной тонны шлама только за счёт ларнита (при его содержании 32,6 %) составляет 83,3 кг CO2, а с учётом волластонита и мервинита общий потенциал достигает 262 кг/т. Показанные масштабы и динамика процесса преобразования силикатов в карбонаты в объеме шламохранилища позволят учитывать объем поглощенного углекислого газа в расчетах углеродного следа конечной продукции предприятия – алюминия, произведенного из нефелинового сырья.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.