October 2023 UNDO + Canadian Wollastonite partnership announcement
Download full PDF | Photos available here
New Partnership Will Benefit Canadian Farms While Capturing Carbon at Scale
For Immediate Release –
Kingston, Ontario, 19 October 2023 – Canadian Wollastonite is set to play a pivotal role in one of the world’s largest enhanced rock weathering (ERW) carbon removal projects thanks to a new partnership with UK- based company UNDO Carbon. By spreading multi-purpose mineral wollastonite on agricultural land, this partnership enables the generation of high-quality, permanent carbon credits while improving crops, soils, and bottom lines for Canadian farmers. Canadian Wollastonite has set an initial goal to remove one million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the coming years.
ERW is a nature-based carbon removal technique that permanently locks away CO₂ from the atmosphere. Rock weathering has been happening naturally for millions of years, but ERW greatly accelerates the carbon capture process by grinding silicate rocks like wollastonite down to a fine powder and applying it to agricultural land. The increased surface area reacts rapidly with CO₂-infused rainwater, breaking down the rock. The weathered rock releases beneficial nutrients and bicarbonates, which eventually end up in the oceans as solid carbonate minerals, permanently removing CO₂.
“We look forward to a fruitful partnership with UNDO and highly encourage farmers in eastern Canada to get in touch with us and take advantage of this great benefit model.” says Bob Vasily, President of Canadian Wollastonite.
Wollastonite – Rapid CO2 Removal Through Enhanced Rock Weathering
In operation since 2013, Canadian Wollastonite has been at the forefront of researching wollastonite’s advantages as a soil amendment, its co-benefits on agricultural land, and its carbon capture potential via ERW for the better part of a decade.
Working together, UNDO and Canadian Wollastonite supply crushed wollastonite to farmers at a significant discount. Through ERW, wollastonite traps and permanently locks away CO₂ from the atmosphere. For every 1.6 metric tons of crushed wollastonite spread, 1 metric ton of CO₂ is captured.
Wollastonite also boasts a wealth of benefits for farmers and our food supply. As the rock weathers, it releases calcium, magnesium, and silicon, as well as other major and minor nutrients into the soil. The result is greater yields, increased pest resistance, and improvement to the pH of soils. Wollastonite can be spread on any field and replaces lime, a common soil additive that emits CO₂. Spreading wollastonite empowers farmers to fight climate change while positively impacting their livelihoods for years to come. Canadian Wollastonite currently has 17 million tons of wollastonite readily available, making it a reliable and sustainable supplier for agriculture, and other industries seeking effective and measurable solutions for reducing carbon output.
A Natural Carbon Removal Partnership
While Canadian Wollastonite supplies farms with crushed wollastonite, which captures CO₂ and improves soils, UNDO’s ERW expertise brings extensive technical knowledge to precisely measure and verify the CO₂ being captured. UNDO has spread more than 150,000 tons of silicate rock since its founding in 2022, and this partnership enables the ERW-focused carbon removal company to scale its international operations.
“We are thrilled to be working with Canadian Wollastonite,” says Rob Palmer, head of Emerging Technology at UNDO. “It’s exciting to see wollastonite’s advantages as a carbon removal solution and a benefit to farmers across Canada.”
With closely aligned values and a shared desire to deploy nature’s resources to pioneer radical climate action, Canadian Wollastonite and UNDO’s partnership is tailor-made for success. Canadian Wollastonite is among North America’s most environmentally responsible mining companies and has planted more than 15,000 trees on its Kingston property. It has developed several large wetlands, noting a marked increase in purple martin, duck, and bat populations. Less than 15% of the property’s 220 hectares of land will be disturbed by mining activities, allowing environmental projects to enrich the surrounding area. Furthermore, Canadian Wollastonite plans to install solar panels in 2024 in an effort to expand the use of renewable energy powering its operations.
Even at this early stage, UNDO’s lifecycle operations with Canadian Wollastonite boasts more than 90% carbon efficiency. This means that for every 100 tons of CO₂ removed through the spreading of wollastonite, less than 10 tons of CO₂ are emitted in the process of mining, crushing and milling.
Plans to Scale Operations
By the end of 2023, Canadian Wollastonite plans to spread 10,000 tons of Wollastonite on farms in Ontario on behalf of UNDO, expanding to 100,000 tons in 2024. Canadian Wollastonite encourages farmers and landowners in Ontario and Quebec to get in touch and find out how they can receive wollastonite for the benefit of their soil, crops, and the planet.
Canadian Wollastonite and UNDO’s partnership is truly a win-win scenario: a win for local farmers and businesses engaged in using wollastonite, and an environmental win as the world continues the battle to stabilize and reduce the amount of Carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.
-30-
Media Contact
For more information and to arrange interviews please contact:
Harris Ivens, [email protected] c: (613) 793-7153 t: (613) 387-2734
About Canadian Wollastonite:
Canadian Wollastonite (CW) is a recent addition to the mining community of Ontario and produces wollastonite mineral products and performance aggregates. Wollastonite is a high-grade, mined calcium silicate with unique chemical and physical properties that delivers environmental and economic benefits on a wide range of industrial, ecological and agricultural applications.
CW supplies wollastonite in various forms to different industries from a soil amendment for agricultural use to synthetic slag conditioning in the steel industry. A number of environmental uses exist for wollastonite, from carbon sequestration to a low CO₂-producing raw material for cement manufacture. The list of applications of wollastonite continues to grow and CW is proud to be involved in multiple ongoing research projects.
About UNDO:
UNDO is a pioneering nature-based carbon removal company with an ambition to remove over one million tons of atmospheric CO₂ by the end of 2025 in accessible, affordable, nature-friendly ways. Based in the UK, UNDO has worked at the cutting edge of science alongside experts in the climate, carbon and agricultural sectors to develop an enhanced rock weathering process technology which mimics natural weathering processes to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Leveraging existing infrastructure, UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering operations have a carbon efficiency of more than 90 per cent, whilst offering permanent and scalable carbon removal services at cost-competitive prices. In April 2023, UNDO became Microsoft’s first enhanced rock weathering supplier. The company employs over 70 people in the UK and the US.
July 2019 KEDCO Press Release for City Of Kingston Mine Expansion Approval
Canadian Wollastonite is Canada’s only wollastonite mine, located on 220 hectares of land straddling the north-east district of the City of Kingston and the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. The largest deposit in North America, Canadian Wollastonite’s mineral resource is stimulating new markets in green manufacturing, environmental remediation, agribusiness and commercial products. Canadian Wollastonite’s long-term goal is to produce economic, eco-friendly and multi-use mineral products while improving the local ecology.
Canadian Wollastonite was incorporated in 2001 as 2005948 Ontario Limited, operating under the trade name Canadian Wollastonite.
Canadian Wollastonite owns and is now mining a world class industrial minerals resource called the Saint Lawrence Wollastonite Deposit (SLWD). The deposit lands are located primarily in the north-east district of the City of Kingston, Ontario and partly in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands.
On December 10, 2012 Canadian Wollastonite received approval for its mining operations from the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, having received all requisite federal and provincial environmental and operating approvals. In doing so Canadian Wollastonite has become the first new industrial minerals mine to be approved in Southern Ontario in 35 years.
With no appeals to City Council’s unanimous June 18, 2019 rezoning approval, Kingston has given the go-ahead to Canadian Wollastonite owners Bob and Jeanine Vasily to expand their zero-waste, zero-tailings mining operation on to their land inside city boundaries.
The decision adds more than 20 million metric tonnes of wollastonite and other high-performance ores to Canadian Wollastonite’s existing mining reserves. Wollastonite is a calcium-silicate mineral with superior strength and durability properties that make it ideal for use in infrastructure projects such as roads and Kingston’s third crossing.
“The wollastonite minerals being mined are significantly stronger and more durable than anything else in our entire region, and indeed in all of Southern Ontario,” says Vasily. “There’s potential for the city to save millions on building projects while also reducing its carbon footprint because this resource is right in its backyard and not hundreds of kilometres away.”
Dubbed ‘a white mineral for a green world,’ wollastonite is an organically certified mineral with carbon-sequestering properties. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, emerging uses include low-CO2 alternative for steel and concrete manufacturing, as an important source of calcium and silicon in fertilizers and animal feeds. It also has been demonstrated to be effective at sequestering (removing) phosphorus and heavy metals from contaminated soils and water systems. Canadian Wollastonite has funded more than $1M to date in research at Canadian and U.S. universities, including half a dozen projects at Queen’s University.
“The close availability of Canadian Wollastonite to agricultural markets in Ontario and Quebec is an asset to reduce chemical use, improve yields and food security,” says Prof. Richard Belanger, Canada Research Chair in Plant Protection at Laval University. His group is working with the company to increase crop plants’ uptake of silicon and calcium to improve their stress tolerance.
“Calcium silicates found in wollastonite mimic Earth’s natural processes for sequestering carbon,” says Bill St. Arnaud, an engineering consultant who specializes in developing green technologies to address climate change. “Investing in green technologies is essential,” he says. “Kingston is fortunate to have such a large deposit of wollastonite within its borders, which could position the city to be a world leader in developing these industries and jobs.”
In reviewing the company’s request, the city cited the company’s sustainable mining practices, its environmental stewardship and its economic benefits to the region. Future use of the site includes carbon-offset and ecological projects, such as greenhouses.
July 2019 City of Kingston approves expansion of Canada’s only wollastonite mine
Organically certified mineral offers green opportunities in concrete and steel manufacturing, agribusiness, and environmental cleanup
It’s official: the City of Kingston is now home to Canada’s only wollastonite mine.
With no appeals to City Council’s unanimous June 18 rezoning approval, Kingston has given the go-ahead to Canadian Wollastonite owners Bob and Jeanine Vasily to expand their zero-waste, zero-tailings mining operation on to their land inside city boundaries.
The decision adds more than 20 million metric tonnes of wollastonite and other high-performance ores to Canadian Wollastonite’s existing mining reserves. Wollastonite is a calcium-silicate mineral with superior strength and durability properties. Similarly, the ancillary ores that will be co-generated are also highly durable and ideally suited for use in infrastructure projects such as roads and Kingston’s third crossing.
“The wollastonite minerals being mined are significantly stronger and more durable than anything else in our entire region, and indeed in all of Southern Ontario,” says Vasily. “There’s potential for the city to save millions on building projects while also reducing its carbon footprint because this resource is right in its backyard and not hundreds of kilometres away.”
Dubbed ‘a white mineral for a green world,’ wollastonite is an organically certified mineral with carbon-sequestering properties. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, emerging uses include low-CO2 alternative for steel and concrete manufacturing, as an important source of calcium and silicon in fertilizers and animal feeds. It also has been demonstrated to be effective at sequestering (removing) phosphorus and heavy metals from contaminated soils and water systems. Canadian Wollastonite has funded more than $1M to date in research at Canadian and U.S. universities, including half a dozen projects at Queen’s University.
“The close availability of Canadian Wollastonite to agricultural markets in Ontario and Quebec is an asset to reduce chemical use, improve yields and food security,” says Prof. Richard Belanger, Canada Research Chair in Plant Protection at Laval University. His group is working with the company to increase crop plants’ uptake of silicon and calcium to improve their stress tolerance.
“Calcium silicates found in wollastonite mimic Earth’s natural processes for sequestering carbon,” says Bill St. Arnaud, an engineering consultant who specializes in developing green technologies to address climate change. “Investing in green technologies is essential,” he says. “Kingston is fortunate to have such a large deposit of wollastonite within its borders, which could position the city to be a world leader in developing these industries and jobs.”
In reviewing the company’s request, the city cited the company’s sustainable mining practices, its environmental stewardship and its economic benefits to the region.
“Canadian Wollastanite’s continued growth and expansion is great news for this local company and for the region,” says Donna Gillespie, CEO of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO). “Kingston has long had a strong mining sector in research and technologies. With Canadian Wollastanite’s expansion we’re also home to leading mineral extraction which is used in plastics, paints, ceramics, concrete and agricultural products. Congratulations to Bob and Jeanine Vasily and their team.”
Contact:
Bob Vasily, MBA
President, Canadian Wollastonite
www.canadianwollastonite.com/
About Canadian Wollastonite:
Canadian Wollastonite is Canada’s only wollastonite mine, located on 220 hectares of land straddling the north-east district of the City of Kingston and the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands. The largest deposit in North America, Canadian Wollastonite’s mineral resource is stimulating new markets in green manufacturing, environmental remediation, agribusiness and commercial products. Canadian Wollastonite’s long-term goal is to produce economic, eco-friendly and multi-use mineral products while improving the local ecology.
Fast facts:
- Less than 15 percent of the total 550-acre site is used for mineral extraction.
- First stage of mining in Leeds-Thousand Islands began 2013, with no adverse impacts.
- Surface mining operations only — no large hole left behind.
- Six blasts lasting 10 seconds or less per year.
- More than 15,000 trees planted on site (one tree sequesters 1 tonne of CO2 over its lifespan) and 30 acres of wetlands created and enhanced for nesting birds.
- Mine operations are outsourced to a local contractor. Anticipated local economic impact of $500M over the life of the mine.
- Future use of the site includes carbon-offset and ecological projects, such as greenhouses.
- Owners live on-site. The closest home to active operations is more than half a kilometer away.
Researcher and industry feedback:
“My colleagues and I are actively working with Canadian Wollastonite to evaluate the environmental impacts of their unique wollastonite resource… Fully developed at 10 million tonnes, Canadian Wollastonite’s deposit has the potential to sequester over 3 million tonnes of CO2. This would positively counterbalance Ontario’s CO2 emissions.”
– Yi Wai Chiang, Associate Professor of Engineering, University of Guelph
“Canadian Wollastonite is very well located to serve the market for the large-scale investments in infrastructure (e.g. Metrolinx, CN & CP Rail, 400 Series) that need to be undertaken in the near future. This reserve is the southern-most approved source of Class 1 rail ballast and the only source of high-performance aggregate for 400 Series roadways in south eastern Ontario. Local sources of high-quality stone can reduce greenhouse gas emissions arising from long-haul transportation and lower the cost of maintaining public infrastructure, while spurring economic activity for many years.”
– Don Mackenzie, Chief Operating Officer, Muskoka Minerals and Mining, and Canadian Wollastonite customer.
“ A high capacity for rapid phosphorus removal from wastewater was demonstrated in our study with the spent wollastonite potentially being used as an agricultural amendment… I can think of few mineral resources in our region of this much importance to the remediation and cleaning of our local and global environment.
– Tim Clark, Technology Leader, GreenCentre Canada, on the positive results of their study of wollastonite for wastewater treatment.
