Aspiring Materials

Mark: We transform a rock called olivine into valuable materials like silica, iron oxide, nickel, cobalt, and magnesium hydroxide. Using a sustainable process, we break down and ‘digest’ the rock to produce our products. At the end of the process, we regenerate what’s left and this creates a closed-loop waste free system. All it requires is rock, water, and clean power.

As well as the minerals and materials our process produces, we also generate hydrogen and oxygen, which can be used as clean fuel. The one thing we don’t generate is CO2 emissions.

Megan: Our minerals and materials help decarbonise industries in a range of ways. For example, our silica can replace traditional products like Portland cement and our magnesium enables effective and safe CO2 capture from the air or industrial emissions. In all, for every one tonne of rock we process, we produce products that can reduce up to 1.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Christopher: Essentially, we're providing the basic materials the world – and Christchurch – needs, but without the CO2 emissions. This means life goes on as usual, but now with a much smaller carbon footprint. It’s about maintaining the same lifestyle while reducing emissions, and that’s the change we’re aiming for both locally and globally.

Mark: The origins of our technology trace back to research done about 12 years ago at the University of Canterbury. A team there was focused on creating building materials for Mars. Since you can’t bring materials from Earth to Mars, the challenge was to figure out how to use local resources (including rocks and sunlight) to produce what was needed for construction. They developed a process to regenerate acids and bases, allowing them to continuously create building materials.

The team soon realised that one of the products they were producing, magnesium hydroxide, had significant potential here on Earth. This led to a shift in focus – from building on Mars to tackling climate change on Earth.

Mark: We’re collaborating with the red zone redevelopment team to explore how our products, like silica and magnesium carbonate, can be used in building materials to decarbonise construction. We've also demonstrated how we can integrate our process into the cement manufacturing process to produce near-zero concrete by eliminating emissions in their production. Added to that, we can improve water treatment processes with magnesium hydroxide sourced locally, reducing the need for high-emission imports.

Christopher: From a business perspective, Christchurch is a perfect location. It’s centrally located for sourcing the materials we need and for accessing the skilled people who help fabricate our equipment. Plus, the proximity to the airport is incredibly helpful. We can easily bring in people from around the world to see our technology, which is a huge benefit.

Mark: We’ve built a strong relationship with the University of Canterbury’s Chemical Engineering Department, which creates an exceptional talent pool and has been invaluable for resources as we develop our technology. There’s an ecosystem here that brings startups together regularly, where we can share ideas and challenges. It creates a collaborative environment, which is something unique to Christchurch.

The regulatory environment here has also been key. In many places, navigating permits and regulations can be a challenge, but here we’ve had productive and practical conversations with the Council, which has made a huge difference in getting our pilot production up and running.

I grew up in Christchurch, and back then, there wasn’t really a startup culture. However, it’s clear that things have changed. It’s exciting to see the entrepreneurial spirit really taking off in the city. Christchurch is becoming the place to be, and It’s becoming easier to attract more and more talent here.

Megan: There's also a growing community of people who care about sustainability. It's a really easy city for biking and there's a strong connection between people and nature, whether it's the Port Hills, the sea or beyond. I think that really helps to build the kind of culture in the workplace we need for a company like ours.