Phytomining of Ultramafic Rock for Carbon-Negative Metal Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for carbon sequestration face economic viability issues and potential environmental contamination, particularly in underground storage, necessitating cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives for removing carbon dioxide at a large scale.

Innovation Solution

Combining enhanced weathering and phytomining to sequester carbon dioxide and extract metals like nickel and cobalt from ultramafic rocks using hyperaccumulator plants, which accelerate chemical weathering and convert CO2 to bicarbonate or carbonate, followed by processing the plant biomass to obtain pure metals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If enhanced weathering is used to sequester carbon dioxide, then carbon dioxide removal efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to rock grinding, dispersing, and plant cultivation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarbon dioxide removal efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines enhanced weathering and phytomining into a single integrated system where weatherable rock is dispersed onto land, hyperaccumulator plants are cultivated to extract metals from the weathering process, and the combined operation simultaneously achieves carbon dioxide sequestration and metal production. This merging resolves the complexity issue by creating a synergistic system where one process enhances the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The weatherable rock serves multiple functions: it provides metal nutrients for plant growth, acts as a carbon sink through weathering, and enables both carbon dioxide sequestration and metal extraction operations. The hyperaccumulator plants simultaneously absorb metals from the rock and facilitate weathering processes, creating a multi-functional system that improves productivity while managing complexity through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If hyperaccumulator plants are used to extract metals from weatherable rock, then metal extraction efficiency is improved, but the time required for plant growth and metal accumulation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal extraction efficiencyVSAvoidgrowth time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first grinding and dispersing weatherable rock onto the land before plant cultivation. This pre-treatment of the rock material enhances its weathering rate and metal availability, creating optimal conditions that accelerate subsequent metal accumulation in the hyperaccumulator plants, thereby reducing the overall time required for effective metal extraction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by altering the physical state of the weatherable rock from intact rock to finely ground particles through mechanical processing. This changes the surface area and weathering rate parameters, creating faster metal release conditions that enable more rapid metal accumulation in plants, thus improving extraction efficiency while managing growth time requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If mechanical activation is used to grind weatherable rock to fine particles, then weathering rate is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweathering rateVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the weatherable rock from large pieces to fine particles through mechanical activation, fundamentally altering the particle size parameter. This changes the surface area to volume ratio, dramatically increasing the weathering rate and metal availability to plants. The energy investment in grinding is offset by the accelerated weathering process that reduces overall operation time and increases productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method effectively sequesters carbon dioxide while extracting valuable metals, achieving a carbon dioxide removal rate of at least 10 tonnes per tonne of metal produced, with minimal environmental impact and potential revenue generation through commercial metal yields.

Implementation Method 1

the chemical weathering of the weatherable rock

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical weathering: Weathering

Implementation Method 2

convert CO2 to bicarbonate or carbonate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCarbonation: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

Hyperaccumulators are rare plants that draw up metal from the soil on which they grow, and accumulate high levels of metals in their biomass

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20260002233A1Methods for obtaining carbon neutral or carbon negative metals from plants, and related compositions

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 METALPLANT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORP

AI summary

Provided are methods of extracting metals from rocks and sequestering carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, provided are methods of using phytomining to extract metals from ultramafic rocks while sequestering carbon dioxide. Provided are also compositions, including metal compositions produced by the methods herein.