Articles tagged with "seaweed"
A Phyto Finish: Could Seaweed Be Mined for Critical Minerals? - CleanTechnica
The article discusses research by scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks investigating the potential of seaweed to accumulate rare earth elements (REEs) near Bokan Mountain, Alaska—a former uranium mining site known for its rich REE deposits. REEs are critical minerals used in everyday electronics and defense technologies, but traditional mining is costly and environmentally challenging. The team collected seaweed and water samples from Moira Bay to study which seaweed species absorb these minerals most effectively and to understand the physiological and geochemical mechanisms behind this accumulation. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency, the researchers aim to develop biomimetic or bioinspired methods for extracting REEs from seawater, potentially enabling future cultivation of mineral-rich seaweed as a sustainable alternative to conventional mining. This approach, called ocean phytomining, could help meet growing demand for critical minerals while reducing environmental impact. The study highlights the surprising biodiversity of marine life
energymaterialsrare-earth-elementsbiominingseaweedsustainable-miningbioenergySeaweed could unlock new sources of rare minerals for EVs: US study
US researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed a novel approach to extract rare earth minerals and critical metals from seaweed, potentially unlocking a sustainable domestic source for materials essential to electric vehicles (EVs), electronics, and construction. Seaweed species, particularly Ulva (sea lettuce), have been found to bioaccumulate rare earth elements and metals like nickel at concentrations vastly higher than those in seawater. By cultivating various seaweed species at their Sequim campus, the team identified which types concentrate specific minerals, with Ulva showing the best overall potential for critical mineral accumulation. The extraction process involves grinding harvested seaweed into a paste and treating it with acidic liquids known as lixiviants, which dissolve the targeted minerals. This mixture is then subjected to high temperatures to break chemical bonds and release the minerals. Although achieving efficient extraction—aiming for at least 50% recovery—has been challenging, researchers have optimized the process by experimenting with different lixiviants, temperatures, and
energyrare-earth-mineralsseaweedelectric-vehiclescritical-mineralssustainable-miningPacific-Northwest-National-LaboratoryCritical Minerals Bottleneck Unblocked By Weed (Seaweed, That Is)
critical-mineralsseaweedphytominingrare-earth-elementssustainable-energymarine-resourcesindustrial-farming