An international team of scientists, including researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR), is working on a project to extract nickel from the ground using plants. This research, which is funded by a grant of 1,35 million euros from the American Department of Energy, promises to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional mining.
The research focuses on two plants in the mustard family, which are known for their ability to take up and store metals in their tissues, a process known as phytomining. This technique allows the researchers to harvest nickel from the metal-rich plant tissue, which can then be used for industrial applications, such as the production of lithium batteries for electric vehicles.
Sustainable nickel for the clean economy
Nickel plays a crucial role in the transition to a cleaner economy, particularly as a component of electric batteries. “With the help of plants, we can extract nickel from the ground without the major environmental damage caused by conventional mining,” explains WUR researcher Antony van der Ent. “In addition, the conversion of the bio-ore into nickel emits much less carbon dioxide. Our research therefore contributes to a more sustainable future.”
Together with fellow researcher Mark Aarts, Van der Ent focuses on studying the DNA of these plants. The researchers want to identify genes that are responsible for nickel uptake and storage, and that also influence the growth and amount of biomass that the plants produce. This will allow them to develop varieties with an improved ability to take up nickel and with a higher biomass yield, resulting in a larger amount of harvested nickel.
Delay flowering for a better harvest
In laboratory studies, the scientists are also investigating how the flowering of the plants can be delayed. By delaying flowering, the plants can put more energy into developing tissues rich in nickel. This can lead to an increase in the nickel yield per plant, which improves the efficiency of the process. “Phytomining offers a completely new and sustainable way to extract critical metals,” the researchers say.
The project is being carried out in collaboration with researchers from the universities of Wisconsin-Madison and Illinois State in the United States, as well as the French company Botanickel, which focuses on the sustainable production of nickel using phytomining. Together, they want to make phytomining applicable on a large scale and thus set a new standard for environmentally friendly metal extraction.
Source: Wageningen University & Research
