Scientists extract rare earth minerals from living plants

ISTANBUL

Chinese scientists say they have recovered rare earth minerals from a living plant, a finding researchers believe could be the first of its kind and a step toward environmentally friendly metal extraction.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, was conducted by researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry in China and Virginia Tech in the United States.

Scientists collected samples of hyperaccumulator plants -- species known for storing unusually high levels of metals -- along with surrounding soil. Their analysis revealed nanoscale monazite, a phosphate mineral typically formed under high heat and pressure, inside the plants. The highest concentration was found in the pinna, followed by the root system and leaf stalk, according to the research.

The team said these plants were capable of concentrating heavy metals and metalloids at levels “hundreds to thousands” of times higher than the surrounding soil.

Researchers concluded that the finding supports the potential of phytomining, a process that uses plants to extract valuable metals from soil. They proposed cultivating hyperaccumulator plants on metal-rich land and then recovering rare earth elements from harvested plant material.

“By planting hyperaccumulator plants, high-value rare earths can be recovered from the plants while remediating polluted soil and restoring the ecology of rare earth tailings, thus realizing a green circular model of ‘remediation and recycling at the same time,’” the study said.

According to the researchers, monazite can be used in applications including coatings, lasers, luminophores, diffusion barriers, ionic conductors, and radioactive waste management.