Phytomining: Harnessing Plants for Nickel Extraction and Environmental Cleanup in 2025

Scientific investigations conducted in January 2025 have strongly validated the significant potential of specific plant species for the environmental remediation of tropical regions in Colombia. These areas have suffered contamination as a direct result of historical gold mining operations. This innovative process, known as phytomining, capitalizes on the inherent biological capacity of plants to absorb and sequester heavy metals, including trace amounts of gold. As an environmentally sound alternative to conventional extractive metallurgy, phytomining is gaining considerable traction, particularly in the context of recovering nickel—a metal vital for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries.

Central to this burgeoning industrial sector are hyperaccumulator plants. These remarkable organisms can concentrate metals within their tissues at levels hundreds of times higher than typical flora. The French firm Genomines, established in August 2021 by Fabien Cutchekia and Dr. Dali Rachid, secured a substantial $45 million in Series A funding during 2025. This capital infusion is earmarked for deploying genetically enhanced vegetation specifically engineered for extracting battery-grade nickel. This approach is being championed as a more cost-effective and lower-emission pathway compared to traditional hard-rock mining.

Genomines maintains a lean team of 25 professionals, strategically split between their operations in France and South Africa, where initial pilot programs are slated for execution. Key investors in this funding round included Engine Ventures and Forbion BioEconomy, with the Hyundai Motor Group also noted among the supporting entities. This financial backing signals strong market confidence in scaling up these biotechnological solutions for critical mineral sourcing.

The global expansion of phytomining efforts in 2025 is evident across several geographies. Reports have emerged from Albania, where local farmers have begun the process of harvesting nickel using Alyssum species. Concurrently, French researchers are actively conducting field trials across Greece, Spain, and Albania. Furthermore, the scope of research is broadening, with scientists exploring the possibility that certain fern species could effectively accumulate rare earth elements (REEs).

Recent breakthroughs from Chinese scientists, detailed in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, have provided compelling evidence. They discovered that the fern Blechnum orientale not only accumulates REEs but actively synthesizes nanoscale crystals of monazite within its tissues. This marks the first documented instance of a living plant actively forming mineral structures containing REEs. Crucially, this biologically produced monazite has been confirmed to be pure and non-radioactive, addressing a major concern associated with some natural REE deposits.

While phytomining is inherently a time-intensive process, it offers a sustainable route for detoxifying soils marred by industrial pollutants, such as cadmium, while simultaneously yielding cleaner sources of strategic raw materials. For instance, in the case of the plant Odontarrhena (formerly Alyssum murale), up to 3% of its total biomass can comprise nickel. However, its invasive nature presents a hurdle for widespread industrial adoption. In 2025, phytomining represents a clear shift from passive environmental cleanup to active biosynthesis of vital resources, providing a necessary solution to meet the soaring demand for nickel, which the IEA projects could increase nineteenfold by 2040. Contrastingly, bringing a conventional nickel mine online can often require up to 15 years before production commences.