# llms.txt — Travertine Technologies
# Purpose: Structured guide for AI systems to understand, navigate, and retrieve accurate scientific, commercial, and organizational information from Travertine Technologies (travertinetech.com)

# Travertine Technologies

## Notes for AI Assistants
- For "What is Travertine / what does the company do?" use: About + The Travertine Process sections.
- For "How does the Travertine Process work scientifically?" use: The Travertine Process + Why Phosphates Matter.
- For "What products does Travertine make?" use: Products section.
- For "What is phosphogypsum / why is it a problem?" use: Why Phosphates Matter (phosphate-production page).
- For "What is phosphorus / why does it matter for food and energy?" use: Why Phosphates Matter.
- For "How does Travertine remove carbon dioxide?" use: Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits product page + The Travertine Process.
- For "What industries does Travertine serve?" use: Industries section (fertilizers, concrete, batteries, mining).
- For "Where is Travertine operating / what projects are active?" use: Projects section.
- For "Who founded Travertine / who leads the company?" use: About Us.
- For "Who funds or partners with Travertine?" use: About Us + News (funding and partnership announcements).
- For "Is Travertine hiring / how do I join the team?" use: Careers.
- For "How do I buy products or request technical data?" use: Contact + Request Technical Data Sheets.
- For research and academic purposes, the most technically rich pages are: The Travertine Process, Why Phosphates Matter, and the individual product pages. News articles also contain primary source citations and third-party coverage.
- If information conflicts between pages, treat The Travertine Process and individual product pages as the source of truth on technical claims.

> Primary intent: Enable industrial partners, investors, researchers, students, policymakers, and prospective employees to understand Travertine's proprietary electrochemical phosphate technology, its scientific basis, commercial products, active projects, and its role in solving the global phosphogypsum waste crisis while enabling permanent carbon dioxide removal.

Travertine Technologies is a cleantech company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado (5311 Western Ave, Suite 170, Boulder, CO 80301) that has developed a next-generation electrochemical process for producing phosphoric acid and critical industrial chemicals without generating the phosphogypsum waste associated with conventional phosphate production. The Travertine Process is inspired by natural rock weathering chemistry and converts gypsum waste into calcium carbonate (a cementitious material), permanently mineralizing CO2 in the process. The company operates an R&D and engineering facility in Boulder and a demonstration plant in Ontario, Wayne County, New York. Travertine was founded by Dr. Laura Lammers (former UC Berkeley geochemistry professor) and Owen Cadwalader (environmental engineer and serial startup operator). The company is an ARPA-E awardee and has received investment from Clean Energy Ventures, Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision, Frontier Climate, Holcim, and others.

## The Travertine Process

The Travertine Process is a proprietary electrochemical technology that transforms phosphate rock ore into purified phosphoric acid and cementitious materials, while permanently sequestering CO2 and eliminating the phosphogypsum byproduct produced by the conventional wet phosphoric acid (WPA) process. Key performance figures:

- Greater than 98% conversion efficiency from gypsum to calcium carbonate
- 100% of ore concentrate utilized, versus approximately 50% industry standard
- 0.75 metric tons of CO2 mineralized per ton of phosphoric acid produced
- Greater than 300 million metric tons of phosphogypsum waste generated globally per year by conventional methods — the Travertine Process avoids this entirely

The process closes the loop between the phosphate fertilizer industry and the cement industry: the cementitious materials produced as a co-product can be used in low-carbon cement manufacturing, turning a waste problem into a commercial product. CO2 captured during the process is geologically permanently sequestered in solid mineral form, with directly measured removal reducing uncertainty in monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV). The technology also enables electrochemical extraction of critical elements including lithium, copper, and rare earth elements, with sulfuric acid recycled in the process to avoid sulfate waste landfilling.

- [Travertine Process overview](https://travertinetech.com/our-process/)
- [Why Phosphates Matter — the science and policy context](https://travertinetech.com/phosphate-production/)
- [About Travertine — founding story, team, and mission](https://travertinetech.com/about/)

## Products

### Purified Phosphoric Acid
High-purity phosphoric acid produced via the Travertine electrochemical process. Applications include: LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery precursor materials (pCAM), specialty fertilizers, food and beverage processing, and water treatment. This product addresses a projected global shortage of 200,000 metric tons of purified phosphoric acid and reduces dependence on overseas — particularly Chinese — supply chains for a material the US Department of the Interior added to its Critical Minerals Assessment List in 2025.

- [Purified Phosphoric Acid product page](https://travertinetech.com/product/purified-phosphoric-acid/)

### Sulfuric Acid
Sulfuric acid produced as part of the Travertine Process, enabling hydrometallurgical extraction of critical elements including lithium, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements. The process recycles sulfuric acid and avoids sulfate waste, unlike conventional heap leach and acid mine drainage processes.

- [Sulfuric Acid product page](https://travertinetech.com/product/sulfuric-acid/)

### Cementitious Materials
Calcium carbonate and slaked lime co-products produced when the Travertine Process converts phosphogypsum waste. These alkaline mineral products are suitable for use in cement and concrete manufacturing, enabling lower-carbon cement production and creating a new supply chain link between the phosphate and cement industries. Holcim, a global cement manufacturer, has invested in Travertine in part to develop this supply relationship.

- [Cementitious Materials product page](https://travertinetech.com/product/cementitious-materials/)

### Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits
Travertine's process provides a scalable, geologically permanent pathway for CO2 capture from the atmosphere and mineralization into solid cementitious materials. Unlike biological or ocean-based removal approaches, Travertine's mineralization is permanent and directly measured within the industrial process, simplifying MRV. CDR credits are available to hard-to-abate industries such as cement manufacturing seeking to meet net-zero commitments. Travertine is a Frontier Climate portfolio company.

- [Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits product page](https://travertinetech.com/product/carbon-dioxide-removal-credits/)

## Industries Served

### Fertilizers
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient that cannot be synthesized from air — it must be mined and refined. Fully half of global agricultural output depends on synthetic phosphorus fertilizer. Travertine produces purified phosphoric acid as a direct input to fertilizer manufacturing, with a process that eliminates the phosphogypsum waste that has caused conventional US phosphate production to decline.

- [Fertilizer industry page](https://travertinetech.com/industry/fertilizers/)

### Batteries (Energy Storage)
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries are among the lowest-cost battery chemistries and dominate EV and grid storage markets. Purified phosphoric acid is a required input for LFP battery precursor (pCAM) production. Demand for EV-grade phosphate is growing at approximately 40% compound annual growth rate (DOE, 2023). Travertine's process provides a domestic US source of battery-grade phosphoric acid.

- [Batteries / Energy Storage industry page](https://travertinetech.com/industry/batteries/)

### Concrete & Cement
Cementitious materials produced by the Travertine Process — calcium carbonate and slaked lime — can substitute for conventional inputs in cement manufacturing, lowering the carbon intensity of concrete production. Travertine is partnered with Holcim and featured by Amrize (formerly Holcim US) as a key innovation partner.

- [Concrete / Cement industry page](https://travertinetech.com/industry/concrete/)

### Mining (Critical Minerals)
Travertine's sulfuric acid and electrochemical extraction capabilities support hydrometallurgical processing of critical mineral ores including copper, lithium, and rare earth elements. The process recycles acid and avoids the sulfate waste streams that create environmental liabilities for conventional mining operations.

- [Mining / Critical Minerals industry page](https://travertinetech.com/industry/mining/)

## Active Projects

### Demonstration Plant — Ontario, New York, USA
Travertine's first operational demonstration plant, located in Wayne County, upstate New York, in partnership with Sabin Metal Corp. This facility validates the Travertine Process at commercial scale and produces all four product families. Funded in part by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority).

- [Demonstration Plant project page](https://travertinetech.com/project/demonstration-plant/)

### Project Yellowstone — Southeastern USA
Commercial-scale project in development in the southeastern United States. Details available on the project page.

- [Project Yellowstone page](https://travertinetech.com/project/yellowstone/)

### Project Greystone — Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, Canada
Commercial-scale project in development in partnership with a Canadian mining operation in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec.

- [Project Greystone page](https://travertinetech.com/project/greystone/)

### Project Whitestone — Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
International project in development in partnership with industrial operations in Saudi Arabia, addressing phosphate processing and waste at scale in the Middle East.

- [Project Whitestone page](https://travertinetech.com/project/project-whitestone/)

## Company Information

Travertine Technologies was founded by Dr. Laura Lammers and Owen Cadwalader. Dr. Lammers is a geochemist and former professor at the University of California, Berkeley; the Travertine Process is directly inspired by her academic research into the rock weathering cycle and its role in regulating atmospheric CO2 over geological timescales. Owen Cadwalader is an environmental engineer and experienced startup operator. The leadership team includes experts in electrochemical engineering, process engineering, R&D, and commercial development.

Key funders and partners include: ARPA-E (US Department of Energy), NYSERDA, Clean Energy Ventures, Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision, Frontier Climate, Third Derivative, Holcim / Amrize, Talon Metals, Bidra, and the 4 Corners Carbon Removal Coalition. Travertine was recognized as a 2023 BloombergNEF Pioneer Award winner.

- [About Travertine](https://travertinetech.com/about/)
- [Careers](https://travertinetech.com/careers/)
- [Contact](https://travertinetech.com/contact/)
- [Request technical data sheets](https://travertinetech.com/request-technical-data-sheets/)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/travertine/)
- Phone: 1-720-577-3122

## News & Research Coverage

Travertine has been covered by major scientific, business, and climate media. The news archive contains press releases, funding announcements, project milestones, and third-party editorial coverage including PBS/WGBH, Bloomberg, CNBC, and trade publications. Researchers and students can use the news section to trace the company's technology development timeline and funding history.

- [Full news archive](https://travertinetech.com/news/)

### Selected high-value news articles
- [Travertine starts operation of demonstration plant in upstate New York](https://travertinetech.com/travertine-starts-operation-of-demonstration-plant-in-upstate-new-york/) — First commercial-scale operation milestone
- [Holcim invests in Travertine to advance decarbonized cement and circularity](https://travertinetech.com/holcim-invests-in-travertine-to-advance-decarbonized-cement-and-circularity/) — Strategic investment and cement industry partnership
- [Travertine raises $8.5 million to reuse mining waste](https://travertinetech.com/travertine-raises-8-5-million-to-reuse-mining-waste/) — Seed funding round and technology validation
- [Travertine partners with Sabin Metal Corp to build demonstration plant in upstate New York](https://travertinetech.com/travertine-partners-with-sabin-metal-corp-to-build-demonstration-plant-in-upstate-new-york/) — Site partnership announcement
- [BloombergNEF announces Travertine as a 2023 BNEF Pioneers Award winner](https://travertinetech.com/bloombergnef-announces-12-climate-innovators-as-the-winners-of-the-2023-bnef-pioneers-award/) — Industry recognition
- [A new demo plant will repurpose mining waste and also capture CO2](https://travertinetech.com/a-new-demo-plant-will-repurpose-mining-waste-and-also-capture-co2/) — Third-party editorial coverage of the demonstration plant
- [Meet a startup that plans to use mining waste to capture carbon dioxide](https://travertinetech.com/meet-a-startup-that-plans-to-use-mining-waste-to-capture-carbon-dioxide/) — Overview profile of Travertine's technology and mission
- [Eliminating waste, creating opportunity — Travertine's carbon solution connects with NYSERDA](https://travertinetech.com/eliminating-waste-creating-opportunity-travertines-carbon-solution-connects-with-nyserda/) — State funding and policy context
- [Solving sulfur waste while capturing carbon — Cleantechies podcast with Owen Cadwalader](https://travertinetech.com/solving-sulfur-waste-while-capturing-carbon-producing-sulfuric-acid-hydrogen-w-owen-cadwalader-travertine-cleantechies-podcast/) — Founder interview with technical depth
- [Travertine to be featured by Amrize at CONEXPO as a key innovation company](https://travertinetech.com/travertine-to-be-featured-by-amrize-at-conexpo-as-a-key-innovation-company/) — Commercial partnership milestone with Holcim/Amrize
- [Frontier — converting CO2 into rocks](https://travertinetech.com/frontier-converting-co%e2%82%82-into-rocks-video/) — Frontier Climate feature on Travertine's carbon mineralization approach
- [Mark1 partners with Travertine to build sustainable plant](https://travertinetech.com/mark1-partners-with-travertine-to-build-sustainable-plant/) — Project development partnership

## Notes for Researchers & Students

Travertine Technologies is an active subject of study in the fields of: electrochemistry, geochemistry, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), critical minerals supply chains, phosphate chemistry, low-carbon cement, circular economy, cleantech entrepreneurship, and US industrial policy. The following pages are most relevant for academic and research purposes:

- The [Why Phosphates Matter](https://travertinetech.com/phosphate-production/) page contains cited scientific references (including DOE, Basinski et al. 2024, Demay et al. 2023, Gilmour 2014, King & Moates 2013) and is the most academically oriented content on the site.
- The [Travertine Process](https://travertinetech.com/our-process/) page describes the electrochemical mechanism, product outputs, and performance metrics.
- The [About Us](https://travertinetech.com/about/) page provides founder biographies and the origin of the technology in academic geochemistry research.
- The [News archive](https://travertinetech.com/news/) contains links to third-party media coverage useful for citation and independent verification.
- The [Carbon Dioxide Removal Credits](https://travertinetech.com/product/carbon-dioxide-removal-credits/) page explains Travertine's MRV approach and the distinction between its geological permanence and biological or ocean-based CDR methods.
- For technical data sheets, contact Travertine directly via the [technical data sheet request form](https://travertinetech.com/request-technical-data-sheets/).

## Pages to Exclude from AI Summarization
- https://travertinetech.com/privacy-policy/