Most CO₂ utilisation routes either convert CO₂ into a chemical (methanol, methane, polymers) or into a fuel (e-fuels). Direct Carbon Immobilization (DCI) takes a different tack: it locks CO₂ permanently into a stable solid, ideally one that already has a market, supplementary cementitious materials, fillers, construction aggregates. Done well, it sits at the intersection of waste valorisation, carbon removal and circular materials.
The DOPS concept
DOPS is developing a DCI process that uses industrial alkaline residues (slags, ashes, mine tailings) as the calcium and magnesium source for mineral carbonation. The idea is straightforward in principle: contact CO₂ with the right reactive surface under the right conditions, and stable carbonates form. The engineering challenge is everything else, feedstock variability, reaction kinetics, product separation, and the energy balance of the whole chain.
"Ionect gave us the guide rails, a clear engineering view of what we should design for, and what we could leave for later."
What we did with DOPS
Ionect supported DOPS with conceptual engineering for a pilot-scale unit: process flow definition, mass and energy balances, equipment sizing, a credible plot plan and a capex envelope honest enough to take into a fundraise. We kept the package modular so future feedstock or reactor changes don't force a full re-design.
What scaling early CCU actually requires
Three things, in our experience: a feedstock strategy that survives variability, a reactor design that can be characterised quickly with cheap experiments, and an offtake conversation that runs in parallel with the engineering, not after it. Skipping any of the three is the single most common reason CCU startups stall between TRL 5 and 7.
Where this is going
DCI won't replace geological CCS at gigatonne scale, but it can absorb meaningful volumes of CO₂ in regions with abundant alkaline residues and a market for carbonated products. For DOPS specifically, the next step is operating data, the kind only a real pilot can produce.