Highlights

• Researchers at NC State developed a non-destructive fluorescence method to detect and quantify dysprosium in living plants, enabling real-time monitoring of rare earth concentrations for optimized phytomining strategies.
• The breakthrough technique could enable plants to extract valuable rare earths like dysprosium from contaminated sites and mine waste, offering a decentralized, low-impact supplement to traditional mining.
• While promising for heavy rare earth recovery, phytomining remains early-stage research requiring field trials and economic viability studies before becoming a strategic supply chain component.

A new peer-reviewed study led by Edmaritz Hernández-Pagán at North Carolina State University (opens in a new tab), working with senior authors Colleen Doherty and Michael Kudenov, introduces a novel way to measure rare earth elements inside living plants—without destroying them. Published in Plant Direct, the research demonstrates a fluorescence-based technique to detect and quantify dysprosium (a critical rare earth used in EV motors and wind turbines) in plant tissue, potentially advancing “phytomining”—a process where plants absorb and concentrate valuable metals from contaminated soils.

The work, supported in part by DARPA, could open a new frontier in domestic rare earth sourcing while simultaneously addressing environmental cleanup challenges.

Study Methods: Measuring Metals Without Killing the Plant

The researchers used fluorescence spectroscopy—a technique that detects how materials absorb and re-emit light. They focused on dysprosium because it emits light longer than natural plant fluorescence, making it easier to isolate. By applying sodium tungstate to amplify the signal and using a UV laser, the team could measure both the presence and concentration of dysprosium in pokeweed plants grown in contaminated substrates.

Crucially, this method is non-destructive, meaning the same plant can be tested repeatedly over time—allowing researchers to identify optimal harvesting windows.

Key Findings: Toward “Plant Mining” Optimization

The study confirms:

• Dysprosium can be reliably detected and quantified in living plants
• Signal amplification techniques can overcome interference from plant autofluorescence
• The method can likely extend to other key rare earths like terbium and neodymium

For the first time, researchers can monitor how rare earth concentrations change in real time, enabling more efficient phytomining strategies.

Implications: A New Layer in the Supply Chain

If scalable, phytomining could:

• Extract rare earths from low-grade or contaminated sites (e.g., mine waste, fly ash)
• Reduce reliance on traditional mining and Chinese processing
• Turn environmental liabilities into economic assets

For REEx readers, this represents a potential long-tail supply source—not replacing mining, but augmenting it with decentralized, low-impact recovery.

Limitations and Open Questions

This remains early-stage research. The study:

• Focuses on controlled lab conditions, not field-scale deployment
• Demonstrates detection—not economic recovery at scale
• Relies on specific plant species (pokeweed), which may not generalize

Economic viability, yield consistency, and processing costs remain unresolved.

Conclusion: From Curiosity to Capability?

This work reframes rare earth supply: not just from the ground—but from biology. While phytomining will not replace industrial supply chains anytime soon, it may become a strategic supplement, especially for heavy rare earths like dysprosium.

The next phase is clear: field trials, scaling studies, and integration into broader mine-to-magnet strategies.

Citation: Hernández-Pagán et al., Detection and Quantification of Dysprosium in Plant Tissues, Plant Direct (2026). DOI: 10.1002/pld3.70164