Phytomining

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:

1. Plants are grown in an area with low grade ores where they take in the minerals through their roots.
2. The plants are then burned.
3. The ash is added to water and the minerals dissolve in that water.
4. 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.