Can metals be extracted from plants? Dr. Antony van der Ent from the University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Institute certainly thinks so. In a process known as phytomining or agromining, it is possible for metals such as nickel or cobalt to be extracted from certain plants with the ability to accumulate metals from the soil in their shoots. These plants are known as “hyperaccumulators.” Dr. van den Ent stated that, “a mature nickel hyperaccumulator tree can contain up to five kg of metal.” However, this must be done in the right conditions. Agromining or phytomining could involve plants growing in soil with ore deposits or on mine waste that is deemed unsuitable for regular mining. This is groundbreaking because it could provide a new source of income for people in developing countries and the tropics, as prices of nickel are quite high. One ton of nickel currently costs $19,000 and trials have produced 200kg per hectare per year. This article is very interesting because you would never expect that metals could be extracted from plants. In addition, it could provide a new source of income and opportunities for people in developing countries.
Submitted by Max Haupt
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