Mustard plants as a sustainable source for nickel extraction

An international research team, including scientists from Wageningen University & Research (WUR), is exploring the potential of extracting nickel from plants. This unique project, funded by a grant of 1.35 million euros from the U.S. Department of Energy, focuses on two plant species within the mustard family. Known for their ability to extract metals from the soil and accumulate them in their tissues—a process called phytomining—these plants make it possible to harvest nickel for industrial purposes, including the production of lithium batteries.

Environmentally friendly alternative to mining

Nickel is essential to the development of a green economy and plays a critical role in battery production for electric vehicles. However, traditional mining causes significant environmental harm and produces high levels of CO₂ emissions. Phytomining offers an environmentally friendly alternative, allowing nickel to be sustainably extracted from the soil without the impact of conventional mining. “With plants, we can extract nickel without the harmful effects of traditional mining and with lower CO₂ emissions,” says WUR researcher Antony van der Ent. The research team is also studying the plants’ DNA to identify genes that enhance nickel uptake and storage, which could ultimately result in plants with higher biomass and increased nickel yield.

Increasing nickel through delayed flowering

In addition to genetic research, scientists are exploring ways to delay the plants' flowering. By postponing flowering, the plants can invest more energy in tissue growth, thereby increasing their nickel content. This project, which also involves researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Illinois State University, and the French company Botanickel, may lead to a new, sustainable method for sourcing industry-critical metals directly from the soil.

Wur.nl