The journey to a sustainable electric vehicle (EV) battery has led innovators down a path less traveled – phytomining. Amidst the concerns over the environmental costs of traditional nickel mining, a light shines on the endeavors of a visionary US phytomining startup named Metalplant. Phytomining, though not a novel concept, introduces a cutting-edge approach to acquiring metals essential for EV batteries.
US Department of Energy Funds Phytomining Research
Through the agricultural technique of phytomining, plants that naturally absorb nickel from the soil are grown and harvested. This process could introduce an ecologically friendly method of metal extraction. With this vision in mind, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $10 million via its ARPA-E funding office to pursue plant-based nickel harvesting, which could revolutionize the EV battery supply chain domestically.
ARPA-E considers nickel the first step, as the US possesses a bounty of nickel hyperaccumulation plants. Beyond simply harvesting, their funded initiatives will investigate ways to amplify this natural process, examining potential applications in various technological domains, not limited to electric vehicles.
Innovation in Hyperaccumulation
The new project, coined PHYTOMINES, is setting out to champion feasibility studies exploring the enhancement of soil conditions or plant properties to bolster nickel uptake. ARPA-E envisions a controlled environment—from sophisticated laboratories to greenhouses—where precise conditions spur nickel accumulation. These exploratory projects are also set to delve into scalability, economic viability, and environmental impact assessments.
Interest in phytomining has attracted a diverse group of potential partners, with academic and private sectors motivated to explore this sustainable frontier. Institutions like Georgia Tech and companies such as Otherlab and SRI International are engaging in this eco-friendly pursuit.
Breaking Silence: Metalplant’s Eco-Innovative Agenda
New to the scene, Metalplant has unveiled its ambitions, quietly working on a solution tailored for the EV battery supply chain. The Carbon Herald brought the startup’s progress into the limelight, revealing Metalplant’s focus on enhanced rock weathering and plant-based nickel extraction, with a pilot operation in Northern Albania’s serpentine-rich soils.
These soils aren’t ideal for food cultivation but perfect for growing hyperaccumulator plants. With this unique geographic advantage, Metalplant aims to harvest a specialized variant of the Odontarrhena species, engineered to tolerate high nickel concentrations.
Transforming Plants into Precious Metals
Obtaining nickel from these specialized plants could involve processes such as pyrolysis. The pyrolyzed plant material would then yield pure nickel sulfate salts, a prized form of the metal for the EV battery market. But Metalplant’s initiative goes beyond nickel extraction. The byproducts of these processes could also serve as carbon capture agents or soil enhancers, contributing further to ecological sustainability.
As Metalplant’s co-founder Eric Matzner reveals, the broader environmental benefits of this operation include not only the extraction of nickel but also the creation of biochar and natural fertilizers. The main focus, however, remains on capturing carbon through the process of rock weathering—an enduring solution against climate change.
As the world strives for greener solutions in transportation, companies like Metalplant showcase the potential of innovative, plant-based alternatives. This could lead to an EV battery supply chain that is not only more sustainable but also less dependent on environmentally harmful mining practices.
