New technique to yield gold from crop plants

Scientists have developed a technique which they claim can grow and harvest gold from plants. The technique of finding gold called phytomining uses plants to extract gold particles from soil.

Scientists have developed a technique which they claim can grow and harvest gold from plants. The technique of finding gold called phytomining uses plants to extract gold particles from soil.

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Some plants have the natural ability to take up through their roots and concentrate metals such as nickel and zinc in their leaves and shoots.

For years, scientists have explored the use of such plants, dubbed hyperaccumulators, for pollution removal. However, there are no known gold hyperaccumulators, because gold doesn’t easily dissolve in water.