How 'agromining' -- farming plants that contain metal -- could help power the future

[malaise]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-09/trees-that-bleed-metal-could-help-power-the-future/100051066?j=1596046&sfmc_sub=90433480&l=16573_HTML&u=41732602&mid=518000040&jb=3001&utm_source=sfmc%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B&utm_medium=email%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B&utm_campaign=abc_rn_sfmc_20210409%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B&utm_term=%E2%80%8B&utm_id=1596046%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B&sfmc_id=90433480

When scientist Alan Baker made a cut in the side of an exotic plant in the Philippines jungle, the sap that bled out had a jade-green glow.

The shrub was a newly discovered species, soon to be known as Phyllanthus Balgooyi, one of a rare variety of plants that naturally suck high amounts of metallic elements from the soil.

The fluorescent sap turned out to be nine per cent nickel.

It was a welcome finding, but not a surprise, as Professor Baker's research into so-called "hyperaccumulators" had already uncovered species that seemed to thrive on everything from cobalt to zinc, and even gold.

"These are plants which can take up elements from the soil [at rates] orders of magnitude higher than normal plants," Professor Baker says.

[hunter]

1. Phyllanthus balgooyi...

Here's a short link, without tracking:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-09/trees-that-bleed-metal-could-help-power-the-future/100051066

Here's wikipedia:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllanthus_balgooyi

This is a great idea for land that's already been ruined by industry, but not so great for land that hasn't.

I think we should keep the human population in check and stop further development of undisturbed natural landscapes. We might even restore industrial wastelands to something resembling a natural state.

[mopinko]

9. i think that's the point.

i dont think there is as much available in virgin land.
but it could be there are trees being harvested anyway that can be mined. like lumber tailings and sawdust.

[GemDigger]

2. Killing "rare" trees. Sounds like a plan.

[CrackityJones75]

3. Well I wonder if we could grow those rare trees

Well I wonder if we could grow those rare trees someplace so we aren’t disturbing those rare trees on land that has been abused already.

[GemDigger]

4. I was thinking that they should plant those "rare" trees NOW so they can

mine them in 20-30 years. Sucks to be those trees because you know the agrominers could care less if money is the object.

I imagine the conditions to grow them would be hard to find which is why those trees are rare.

[CrackityJones75]

5. Could be. But botonists are pretty clever.

[mopinko]

10. the point is that there are abandoned mining and industrial sites where they can grow.

they wont be rare for long. and they are tapped while growing. so, 10 yrs or so to start producing.

[mopinko]

7. no, no. milked like latex. or maple syrup.

only burned at the end of life.

[hunter]

11. Monterey Pines were a rare tree from California.

Now they are a major timber species worldwide.

[joetheman]

6. Grow your own gold. What could go wrong???

[mopinko]

8. jesus. this makes my heart go pitter patter.

tho for starters, fungi rock this shit.

this is something urban farmers dream about. so many brown fields.
here in chi, no one can figure out what to do w the old southworks, just for starters.
this would be amazing.

now i have to move- poke cook co president about visiting my farm- up the list.
i had pulled her coat at a holiday party, and was talking to her cos about a visit last year right when all hell broke lose.
it was on my list to poke her. now i have a hook, thx.

[hunter]

12. Yep, so many brown fields...

... we could make green.