Today’s Solutions: November 02, 2024

Mining is one of the most heavily polluting industries, especially when it comes to water contamination, but Malaysia’s Kinabalu Park is home to a mine that looks a little different. In this mine, nickel is extracted from leafy green plants with a fraction of the environmental footprint.

Phytomining, the process of producing metal by growing plants, is not new, but many are unaware of its untapped potential. There are about 700 plants in the world that suck up metal from the soil around them at a high rate. These metals, like nickel, zinc, cobalt, and even gold, are harvested when the plants are burned, resulting in “bio-ore.”

While strip mining leaves behind toxic metal tailings that are difficult and costly to clean up, phytomining operations can be set up with very little physical or chemical treatment of the soil. When done sustainably, the bio-ore plants are maintained over time, absorbing carbon until they are harvested.

In the Malaysia case study, nickel is sourced from the P. rufuschaneyi plant, which stands at over 20 feet high. Twice a year, workers cut off the top foot of each plant to create bio-ore, leaving the rest to regenerate for the next harvest. The burning and extraction process at this particular mine is also solar-powered and carbon-neutral.

So why isn’t phytomining practiced all over the world? Until recently, investors didn’t see scaled-up plant mining to be as financially viable as traditional mining. But as ground deposits become more scarce, the practice is proving to be effective and profitable. Plant miners are sourcing 150 to 250 kilograms of nickel per hectare in Malaysia, which at today’s nickel prices would be $3,800 of profit per acre. That’s better than even some of the best performing agricultural crops.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

This heartwarming Danish ad breaks down the ‘Us vs Them’ narrative

It’s rare that we publish a story about an advertisement, but then again it’s rare that an ad stirs so much emotion within its ...

Read More

NOAHs: Charlotte has a formula for long-lasting affordable housing

We recently shared how empty retail space could be the solution to California’s affordable housing crisis. Across the country in North Carolina, the city ...

Read More

A seat at the table for underrepresented communities

Climate change is already affecting all of us—however, those that bear the brunt of these consequences are predominantly from low-income, marginalized, BIPOC communities. So ...

Read More

Expanding democracy: Michigan opens new doors for formerly incarcerated voters

Malijah Gee's path from incarceration at the age of 17 to imminent freedom reflects the longing for a voice that has been suppressed for 36 years. ...

Read More