- A. It is a cheap and practical method to produce limestone at commercial level for building purposes.
- B. This can be used as one of the methods of carbon sequestration.
- C. Basalt rock can be made a good source of calcium and magnesium minerals by this method.
- D. Good rock-dissolving acid can be produced by mixing carbon dioxide and water.
Answer: B
Explanation
The passage describes a scientific process where carbon dioxide is injected into basalt rocks and, through chemical reactions, is converted into limestone. The scientists’ exclamation, ‘Basically carbon dioxide is converted into stone,’ strongly implies that the primary significance of this discovery is its potential to permanently store or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This process is known as carbon sequestration. Option (A) is not supported as the passage does not discuss the cost-effectiveness or commercial viability of producing limestone for building. Option (C) misinterprets the process; the minerals are dissolved to form limestone, not extracted for their own sake. Option (D) focuses on the acidic mixture, which is a means to an end, not the most significant implication of the CO2 conversion. This question assesses the ability to draw the most relevant and practical inference from scientific information.