Key Stage 4
Meaning
Phytomining is a process of extracting minerals from their ore using plants then using electrolysis in solution to extract the metal form the mineral.
About Phytomining
Phytomining has several stages:
- Plants are grown in an area with low grade ores where they take in the minerals through their roots.
- The plants are then burned.
- The ash is added to water and the minerals dissolve in that water.
- Electrolysis is then used to extract the metal from the mineral.
- Phytomining is cheaper than smelting but takes much longer to extract the minerals than conventional mining.
- Phytomining is used on low grade ores where conventional mining would be too expensive and not enough mineral extracted.