The results of this research could pave the way for a more environmentally friendly method of extracting mineral resources that humanity increasingly relies on.
What Makes This Discovery So Remarkable
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently uncovered an incredible superpower hidden within the tissues of the fern Blechnum orientale. This plant has the ability to grow rare earth elements (REE) within its tissues.
There are a total of 17 rare earth elements. These metallic materials are widely used in all kinds of technology—from wind turbines and computers to broadband cables and medical devices. In fact, they are not as rare as their name suggests, but extracting them from the earth’s crust in a usable form is a complex and costly task.
This is where the idea of phytomining comes into play—using known as hyperaccumulators to extract mineral resources from the soil. These plants can thrive in metal-rich soils and bind to these elements, as reported by Science Alert.
“REE are critical metals for clean energy and high-tech applications, yet their supply faces environmental and geopolitical challenges,” wrote the research team led by geologist Lucina He in their report.
“Phytomining—a green strategy that utilizes hyperaccumulator plants to extract metals from the soil—opens up possibilities for sustainable supply of rare earth elements, but it remains underexplored,” the scientists explained.
The fern B. orientale was already known as a hyperaccumulator, but scientists discovered something extraordinary. The plant actually grows REE crystals within its tissues.
Researchers found that crystals of monazite form in the fern
Using powerful microscopic imaging and chemical analysis, researchers discovered that the rare earth-rich compound monazite accumulates in the plant’s tissues, creating a sort of “chemical garden” that self-organizes from elements like neodymium, lanthanum, and cerium.
This is the first time scientists have observed anything like this in plants. Currently, at least one plant is known to form rare earth metal minerals under normal conditions, without the high temperatures and pressures required for underground extraction.
The team is energetically exploring the potential of phytomining. According to the researchers, it may be even more promising than previously thought.
Further studies will help determine whether this is a unique trait of B. orientale or if other plants can exhibit such superpowers. Interestingly, some signs of this ability have also been observed in another fern—Dicranopteris linearis—but there is currently no direct evidence of its super capabilities.
Scientists hope to develop a method for obtaining monazite and breaking it down into its REE components with minimal resource loss.
“This discovery not only sheds light on the enrichment and sequestration of REE during chemical and biological weathering but also opens new opportunities for the direct extraction of functional REE materials,” the researchers believe.
The findings were published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Photo: Unsplash
