Earth:Phytomining

From HandWiki
Short description: Extracting metals from soil through hyperaccumulator plants
Phytoremediation through phytoextraction by a hyperaccumulator

Phytomining, sometimes called agromining,[1] is the process of extracting heavy metals from the soil through hyperaccumulators, whether natural or induced.[2] Specifically, phytomining is for the purpose of economic gain.[3]

These extracted ores are called bio-ores.[4]

History

Phytomining was first proposed in 1983 by Rufus Chaney, a USDA agronomist.[5] He and Alan Baker, a University of Melbourne professor, first tested it in 1996.[5] They, as well as Jay Scott Angle and Yin-Ming Li, filed a patent on the process in 1995 which expired in 2015.[6]

Advantages

Phytomining causes minimal environmental effects compared to mining; erosion is lessened.[2] Bio-ores are more compact than standard ores.[2]

Phytomining can extract ores from soils with low levels of it.[4] Phytomining can remove low-grade heavy metals from mine waste.[4]

See also

References

  1. Dang, P.; Li, C. (2022-12-01). "A mini-review of phytomining" (in en). International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 19 (12): 12825–12838. doi:10.1007/s13762-021-03807-z. ISSN 1735-2630. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03807-z. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Brooks, Robert R; Chambers, Michael F; Nicks, Larry J; Robinson, Brett H (1998-09-01). "Phytomining". Trends in Plant Science 3 (9): 359–362. doi:10.1016/S1360-1385(98)01283-7. ISSN 1360-1385. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138598012837. 
  3. Linacre, J. Scott Angle and Nicholas A. (2005) (in en). Ecological Risks of Novel Environmental Crop Technologies Using Phytoremediation as an Example. Intl Food Policy Res Inst. https://books.google.com/books?id=rQO75ucv4fUC&dq=%22phytomining%22%7C%22phytominings%22&pg=PA14. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Leaders of the energy transition are calling for a sustainable source of critical metals – is phytomining the answer?" (in en). 2021-02-11. https://smi.uq.edu.au/leaders-energy-transition-sustainable-source-critical-metals-phytomining. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Morse, Ian (2020-02-26). "Down on the Farm That Harvests Metal From Plants" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/science/metal-plants-farm.html. 
  6. , Rufus L.; Jay Scott Angle & Alan J. M. Baker et al."Method for phytomining of nickel, cobalt and other metals from soil" patent US5711784A, issued 1998-01-27