Phytomining

{{Short description|Extracting metals from soil through hyperaccumulator plants}}

File:Phytoextraction diagram.svg through phytoextraction by a hyperaccumulator; zinc and copper are moved from the soil to the leaves of the plant]]

Phytomining, sometimes called agromining,{{Cite journal |last1=Dang |first1=P. |last2=Li |first2=C. |date=2022-12-01 |title=A mini-review of phytomining |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03807-z |journal=International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology |language=en |volume=19 |issue=12 |pages=12825–12838 |doi=10.1007/s13762-021-03807-z |bibcode=2022JEST...1912825D |issn=1735-2630|url-access=subscription }} is the concept of extracting heavy metals from the soil using plants.{{Cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=Robert R |last2=Chambers |first2=Michael F |last3=Nicks |first3=Larry J |last4=Robinson |first4=Brett H |date=1998-09-01 |title=Phytomining |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138598012837 |journal=Trends in Plant Science |volume=3 |issue=9 |pages=359–362 |doi=10.1016/S1360-1385(98)01283-7 |bibcode=1998TPS.....3..359B |issn=1360-1385|url-access=subscription }} Specifically, phytomining is for the purpose of economic gain.{{Cite book |last=Linacre |first=J. Scott Angle and Nicholas A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rQO75ucv4fUC&dq=%22phytomining%22%7C%22phytominings%22&pg=PA14 |title=Ecological Risks of Novel Environmental Crop Technologies Using Phytoremediation as an Example |date=2005 |publisher=Intl Food Policy Res Inst |language=en}} The approach exploits the existence of hyperaccumulators, proteins or compounds secreted by plants to bind certain metal ions. These extracted ores are called bio-ores.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-11 |title=Leaders of the energy transition are calling for a sustainable source of critical metals – is phytomining the answer? |url=https://smi.uq.edu.au/leaders-energy-transition-sustainable-source-critical-metals-phytomining |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=smi.uq.edu.au |language=en}} A 2021 review concluded that the commercial viability of phytomining was "limited" because it is a slow and inefficient process.