Canadian Wollastonite Partnership with UNDO Wins $5 Million XPRIZE Carbon Removal Award
Enhanced rock weathering solution using Ontario wollastonite recognized among world’s leading carbon removal technologies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 23, 2025
The four-year, $100 million XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition challenged teams to develop scalable, high-quality solutions for removing carbon dioxide. In the final year, 20 finalists were required to demonstrate the removal of more than 1,000 net tonnes of CO₂. Independent verification bodies confirmed that the Canadian Wollastonite-UNDO partnership successfully removed 1,209 tonnes of CO₂ during 2024 operations in Ontario.
Canadian Wollastonite President Bob Vasily stated his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “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.”
Proven Science, Real Results
Enhanced rock weathering accelerates a natural process that has been removing CO₂ from the atmosphere for millions of years. When crushed wollastonite is applied to farmland, it reacts with CO₂ in rainwater, forming stable carbonate minerals that permanently store carbon for over 100,000 years while releasing beneficial nutrients that improve soil health and crop health.
The wollastonite comes from Canadian Wollastonite’s operation near Kingston, Ontario, Canada’s only wollastonite mine. The mineral-rich crushed rock is supplied to local farmers free of charge through the partnership program, with farmers covering only trucking costs.
Agricultural and Climate Benefits
For Ontario farming communities, wollastonite provides a long-lasting liming effect, stabilizing soil pH over multiple growing seasons while releasing essential nutrients. The silicon content strengthens plant cell walls, improving drought tolerance and pest resistance.
The IPCC 2022 report identifies enhanced rock weathering as having the potential to remove up to 4 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually – equivalent to 40% of global carbon removal targets. The partnership operates within 250 km of Seeley’s Bay, offering application rates of 2 or 4 tonnes per acre.
UNDO CEO Jim Mann commented: “Being an XPRIZE winner is a powerful validation – not just of UNDO’s scientific rigour and massively scalable operational model, but of the incredible team and agricultural communities behind it all.”
The carbon removal program is funded through the sale of verified carbon credits, enabling the free provision of wollastonite to participating farmers. The partnership’s operations demonstrate a carbon efficiency of more than 90%.
Farmers and landowners in Ontario interested in participating can learn more at un-do.com/canada.
Media Contact:
Jo Spindler, Head of Brand & Marketing
UNDO
jo@un-do.com