Carbon-Ore Building Materials

North Dakota is home to the largest deposit of lignite in the world (approximately 351 billion tons). With the lower costs of alternative energy (e.g. solar, wind), it is necessary to develop novel ways of utilizing this important resource. The production of building materials from carbon-ore has the potential for a high-volume use that is essential for carbon-ore industry stability and growth.

MTI and the University of North Dakota (UND) have developed a method for producing carbon-based building materials by using a flexible manufacturing process.

What is Carbon-Ore?

Carbon ore typically consists of coal or waste coal materials. As energy markets shift, innovative processes are needed to fully utilize and transition our existing extraction infrastructure and provide a use for legacy waste material from the extraction process.

This effort supports local communities impacted by the nation’s changing energy outlook and puts a sustainable foot forward towards using existing waste material.

Sintered Carbon-Ore Building Materials Technology Development

Microbeam Technologies and the University of North Dakota (UND) have developed a method for producing carbon-based building materials by using a flexible manufacturing process. The manufacturing process involves the sintering of carbon-ore and additive particulates at relatively low temperatures to produce sintered carbon-ore building materials (SCBM). With the proven ability to tailor the composite's material properties on the laboratory scale, the SCBM technology shows great potential to be used in various building materials applications.

The Carbon Ore Value Chain

Carbon-ore’s high abundance and low-cost makes it particular appealing for commercial applications that require high volume. These applications could include building materials like blocks, graphite for use in Li-Ion batteries, composite additives in polymers, and aerospace carbon fibers, among other uses.

Projects funded under NETL’s Carbon Ore Processing Program seek to develop processes that take this low-cost, abundance feedstock and turn them into high-value products.

Discover more about carbon core processing at The National Energy Technology Laboratory’s Carbon Ore Processing page. NETL’s efforts are part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Resource Sustainability Program.

Learn More About Microbeam Technology’s Carbon Ore Processing

Discover more about our carbon ore development areas by chatting with a Microbeam Technologies, Inc. expert today.

We would be delighted to discuss our processing capabilities and the future of the technology with you.

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Bench-Scale Brickmaking Process

The manufacturing process involves the sintering of carbon-ore and additive particulates at relatively low temperatures to produce sintered carbon-ore building materials (SCBM). With the proven ability to tailor the composite’s material properties (e.g. strength, density) on the laboratory scale, the SCBM technology shows great potential to by used in various building materials applications such as building brick and brick veneer.

Starting Carbon Ore Waste Material