The scope of research in energy and resource engineering is very broad, and applied geochemistry labs are exploring the use of plants to explore for rare earth metals. This method plays an important role in increasing the efficiency of resource exploitation while minimizing environmental degradation.
Energy and Resources Engineering is the study of the entire process of exploration, processing, production, use, and post-processing of energy and resources essential to human life. The range of engineering and scientific knowledge required for these processes is very broad. As a result, many laboratories are responsible for different areas of research. In this article, we’re going to talk about geochemical exploration in applied geochemistry laboratories, among other areas of research.
In the 2010s, the resource term “rare earths” emerged as one of the main keywords in the economic world. Rare earths are another name for rare earth metals, which are trace metals that make up less than 0.1% of the material that makes up the Earth. Although these metals exist in very small quantities, they have recently gained attention due to their increasing use. Rare earth metals are essential for sharp displays, fast communication speeds, and the spread of advanced technology. There are two characteristics of rare earth metals that are important to know about their production. First, the amount of rare earth metals is very small, and second, despite this, they are present in small amounts almost everywhere on the planet. This means that even countries that are considered resource-poor can produce useful metals. However, digging for these metals, taking samples and analyzing them, can be extremely destructive and wasteful of resources. You could dig up tons of soil and still not find enough rare earth metals to make a single cell phone. So how can we efficiently explore and exploit rare earth metals?
The answer proposed by the Applied Geochemistry Lab is to use plants. When ore bodies (aggregates of minerals) containing rare earth metals are present in the ground, they weather and increase the concentration of rare earth metals in the surrounding soil. Plants rooted in the soil then naturally absorb and concentrate the elements in the soil. By analyzing samples of plant stems, leaves, and roots, you can assess the potential for rare earth metal development in your area. This is because plant tissue samples contain much higher concentrations of rare earth metals than soil samples.
This exploration method is already being used to detect and clean up heavy metal contamination. As plants grow, they absorb heavy metals from the soil and concentrate them in their tissues, so plant samples can be used not only to determine the extent of heavy metal contamination, but also to remediate it by reducing the concentration of heavy metals in the soil. When plants are grown in heavy metal contaminated areas, the heavy metals in the soil are transferred to the plants and the soil is purified. In this way, plants can be used to remediate heavy metal contaminated areas in an eco-friendly way. Of course, these plants are not suitable for human consumption, but they can contribute to the creation of forests in barren environments and turn them into recreational areas.
In the Applied Geochemistry Lab, we are using these plants to detect the behavior and dispersion patterns of chemical components. Not only rare earth metals, but also common resource deposits such as iron and copper can be explored through plants, and phytochemical analysis is also useful in the exploration of energy resources such as oil and gas.
China accounts for 96% of the world’s rare earth production, and the country has taken advantage of this oligopolistic situation to weaponize the resource. However, the production of rare earths has been criticized for causing significant environmental damage. South Korea, an IT powerhouse, imports more than 95% of its rare earth metals, which are essential for making high-tech devices. Therefore, it is important to explore and develop rare earth metals in Korea as well as overseas resources to ensure supply stability. Efforts by applied geochemistry researchers to secure rare earth metals without burdening the environment will continue.
