10180076Cold Chemical Extraction of Seaweed Minerals for Low-Carbon Concrete SubstitutesClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThis project, led by **SD Projects** in Folkestone, explores how minerals found naturally within **British seaweed** can provide the construction industry with new, **low-carbon alternatives to cement and concrete**. Conventional concrete production is one of the most carbon-intensive industrial processes in the world, responsible for around eight percent of global CO2 emissions. Most of these emissions arise from heating limestone to over 900 °C to extract calcium for cement manufacture. SD Projects aims to replace that energy-heavy step with a **room-temperature, water-based process** that recovers calcium and silicate minerals already stored within seaweed cell walls. Working with partners including **Norfolk Seaweed Farm**, **Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU)**, **Exeter Analytical (UK) Ltd**, and **Sandberg LLP**, the project will test a **cold-chemical extraction process** using mild, non-toxic organic acids to dissolve and recover useful minerals from dried kelp. The method avoids fossil-fuel heating and operates below 60 °C, producing minimal waste and zero process emissions. The seaweed feedstock, cultivated sustainably by Norfolk Seaweed Farm on the Norfolk coast, provides a consistent, traceable UK source while supporting the emerging blue-economy sector. Laboratory work will take place at CCCU's **Life Sciences Industry Liaison Lab** at Discovery Park, Kent, under the guidance of **Dr Cornelia Wilson**. Here, the team will experiment with different extraction chemistries and drying conditions to optimise mineral recovery. Extracted samples will be sent to **Exeter Analytical (UK) Ltd** for **UKAS-accredited ICP-OES analysis**, which will measure calcium, magnesium, silicon, sulfur and other key elements to confirm mineral yield and purity. From the recovered mineral powders, SD Projects will produce small test-cast binder samples in-house. These will be analysed by **Sandberg LLP**, a UKAS-accredited materials-testing laboratory in London, to assess compressive and tensile strength performance against current low-carbon cements. The minerals recovered---primarily **calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and silicate-rich fractions**---have potential use as **supplementary cementitious materials or pozzolanic additives**, improving binder performance while reducing emissions. Because seaweed naturally captures carbon as it grows, the process offers an environmental double benefit: lowering production emissions while promoting regenerative marine cultivation. If proven feasible, this project could establish a foundation for **marine biorefinery systems** in which seaweed supplies both organic and inorganic components for next-generation sustainable building materials. It directly supports the UK's **Net Zero** and **Materials and Manufacturing 2050** goals by demonstrating a **circular, renewable source of essential minerals** for the built environment and a new pathway toward carbon-neutral construction,