FrogHeart

Phytomining Rare Earths (Mining with Plants)

Researchers have demonstrated that the fern Blechnum orientale can biosynthesize nanoscale monazite crystals, marking the first observation of rare‑earth mineral formation inside a living plant. A separate team at North Carolina State University developed a non‑destructive fluorescence method to detect and quantify dysprosium in plant tissues, enabling real‑time monitoring of phytomining efforts. Both studies are backed by U.S. government funding (DOE ARPA‑E and DARPA), underscoring growing strategic interest in green rare‑earth extraction. Meanwhile, the inaugural North American Rare Earths Conference in Vancouver convened industry players to discuss supply‑chain diversification, with registration priced at £999 (≈ $1,270).