Arca, a Vancouver-based carbon mineralization company, is making waves in the cleantech space with the support of the B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE).
The startup, spun out of the University of British Columbia, received a $1.2 million investment from CICE in 2023 to pilot its groundbreaking air-to-rock carbon mineralization technology at BHP’s Mt Keith Nickel West Mine in Australia.
This 18-month project, funded by CICE, aims to verify Arca’s methodology for capturing and permanently storing atmospheric carbon dioxide using mine tailings. The initiative also seeks to demonstrate the technology’s seamless integration into active mining operations.
“Arca is truly a pioneer in engineered mineralization for carbon removal,” said Todd Sayers, Chief Operating Officer of CICE. “The company’s powerful combination of world-leading science and innovation, team experience, and global scaling strategy strongly aligns with the CICE mandate. With CICE’s support, Arca is in a great position to accelerate large-scale implementation.”
Arca’s technology significantly accelerates the natural process of carbon mineralization in ultramafic rocks, offering the mining industry an innovative way to tackle emissions while producing critical minerals. Using rovers, surface manipulation technology, and machine learning algorithms, Arca manipulates mine tailings to enhance carbon capture and storage. Its unique process captures and stores CO2 in a single step, enabling the sale of verifiable and permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits.
The company’s achievements in 2024 have cemented its reputation as a leader in cleantech. Arca was named Startup of the Year at the BC Cleantech Awards and listed on the 2024 Foresight 50, which highlights Canada’s most investible cleantech ventures. Additionally, the startup is a top 20 finalist in the prestigious XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition and was recognized by Techcouver as one of the 10 B.C. startups to watch in 2024.
Arca’s pioneering approach aligns with the global push for a clean energy transition, enabling mining operations to permanently remove CO2 while supporting the production of metals essential for renewable energy technologies. With CICE’s backing, Arca is poised to scale its technology and drive significant impact in the fight against climate change.