Bioengineering technologies for harvesting rare earth elements from waste

该项目旨在优化能够从废物中提取稀土元素(REE)的组件的功能。建造清洁能源技术和电子产品需要稀土元素。稀土供不应求，稀土在工业废物中流失。该项目预计将为回收目前在采矿和电子废物中损失的稀土提供途径。该方法包括识别、测试和设计从积累稀土的植物和微生物中提取的选择性成分。这些成分将用于推进分离技术，使从复杂混合物中差异收获目标稀土成为可能。废物中稀土的再利用是未来能源可持续性的关键。

This project aims to optimise the function of components that enable rare earth elements (REEs) to be harvested from waste. REEs are needed for building clean energy technologies and electronics. Demand for REEs exceeds supply and REEs are lost in industrial wastes. This project is expected to provide avenues for recycling the REEs that are currently lost in mining and electronic wastes. The approach involves identifying, testing and engineering selective components derived from REE-accumulating plants and microorganisms. The components will be used to advance separation technologies, enabling differential harvesting of target REEs from complex mixtures. Reuse of REEs from waste is key to energy sustainability in the future.