The ukuguqulwa kwamandla avuselelekayo izodinga inani elikhulu lezinto zokwakha, futhi kunokwesaba ukuthi singase sibhekane nokushoda kwezinye izinsimbi ezibalulekile. Abacwaningi bakahulumeni wase-US bacabanga ukuthi singabopha izitshalo ukuze sizimba lezi zinsimbi ngezimpande zazo.

Ubuchwepheshe obuluhlaza njengamandla elanga nezimoto zikagesi zamukelwa ngezinga elingakaze libonwe ngaphambili, kodwa futhi lokhu kucindezela amaketanga okuhlinzeka abasekelayo. Indawo eyodwa yokukhathazeka ngokukhethekile ihlanganisa izinsimbi ezidingekayo ukuze kwakhiwe amabhethri, izinjini zomoya, nezinye izinto zikagesi ezithuthukisiwe ezinika amandla ukuguqulwa kwamandla.

Singase singakwazi ukusekela ukukhula okucatshangelwayo ngamanani amanje okukhiqiza amaningi alawa maminerali, njenge-lithium, i-cobalt, ne-nickel. Ezinye zalezi zinsimbi zibuye zithathwe emazweni imisebenzi yawo yokumba ephakamisa amalungelo abantu amakhulu noma ukukhathazeka ngokwezwe.

Ukuze kusetshenziswe izinto ezihlukahlukene, isikhungo sikahulumeni sokucwaninga i-ARPA-E sinikela ngezimali eziyizigidi ezingu-10 zamaRandi ukuze kuhlolwe "i-phytomining," lapho izinhlobo ezithile zezitshalo zisetshenziselwa ukukhipha izinsimbi ezibalulekile emhlabathini ngokusebenzisa izimpande zazo. Le phrojekthi igxile ku-nickel kuqala, insimbi yebhethri ebalulekile, kodwa ngokombono, inganwetshwa kwamanye amaminerali.

“Ukuze kufezwe izinjongo ezibekwe nguMongameli u-Biden zokuhlangabezana nezinhloso zethu zamandla ahlanzekile, futhi sisekele umnotho wethu kanye nokuphepha kwezwe, kuzothatha [indlela] yokusebenzela yonke indawo kanye nezisombululo ezintsha,” i-ARPA-E. umqondisi Evelyn Wang kusho ekukhululweni kwezindaba.

"Ngokuhlola i-phytomining ukuze kukhishwe i-nickel njengento yokuqala okuhloswe ngayo okubalulekile, i-ARPA-E ihlose ukuzuza indlela yokukhipha i-footprint engabizi kakhulu nenekhabhoni ephansi edingekayo ukusekela uguquko lwamandla."

Umqondo we-phytomining usunesikhathi eside ukhona futhi uncike ekilasini lezitshalo ezaziwa ngokuthi "ama-hyperaccumulators." Lezi zinhlobo zingakwazi ukumunca isamba esikhulu sensimbi ngezimpande zazo futhi ziyigcine ezicutshini zazo. I-Phytomining ihilela ukukhulisa lezi zitshalo enhlabathini enezinga eliphezulu lezinsimbi, ukuvuna nokushisa izitshalo, bese ukhipha izinsimbi emlotheni.

Iphrojekthi ye-ARPA-E, eyaziwa ngokuthi i-Plant HYperaccumulators TO MIne Nickel-Enriched Soils (PHYTOMINES), igxile ku-nickel ngoba kakade sekunama-hyperaccumulators amaningi aziwayo ukuthi amunca insimbi. Kodwa ukuthola, noma ukudala, izinhlobo ezikwazi ukumba insimbi ngokwezomnotho eNyakatho Melika kusazoba inselele enkulu.

Enye yezinhloso eziyinhloko zephrojekthi ukuthuthukisa inani le-nickel lezi zitshalo ezingalisebenzisa. Lokhu kungase kuhlanganise ukuzalanisa noma izitshalo ezishintsha ufuzo ukuze kuthuthukiswe lezi zici noma ukushintsha i-microbiome yezitshalo noma inhlabathi ezungezile ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukumuncwa.

I-ejensi futhi ifuna ukuqonda kangcono izici zemvelo nezomnotho ezinganquma ukusebenza kwenqubo, njengomthelela wokwakheka kwezimbiwa zomhlabathi, isimo sobunikazi bomhlaba wezindawo ezithembisayo, kanye nezindleko zokuphila konke komsebenzi wokugaya i-phytomining.

Kodwa nakuba umqondo usesesigabeni esibi kakhulu, maningi amandla.

“Emhlabathini oqukethe cishe amaphesenti angu-5 e-nickel—engcoliswe kakhulu—uzothola umlotha ongamaphesenti angaba ngu-25 kuya kwangu-50 we-nickel ngemva kokuwushisa,” uDave McNear, isazi sesayensi yezinto eziphilayo e-University of Kentucky, utshele Wired.

Uma kuqhathaniswa, lapho umemba khona usuka phansi, edwaleni, cishe ine-nickel engu-.02%. Ngakho-ke niyimiyalo eminingana yobukhulu enkulu ekucebiseni, futhi inokungcola okuncane kakhulu. "

I-Phytomining izophinde ingalimazi kakhulu imvelo kunezimayini zendabuko, futhi ingasiza ukulungisa inhlabathi engcoliswe izinsimbi ukuze zilinywe ngendlela evamile. Nakuba okwamanje kugxilwe ku-nickel, le ndlela inganwetshwa nakwezinye izinsimbi ezibalulekile.

Inselele enkulu kuzoba ukuthola isitshalo esifanele isimo sezulu saseMelika esikhula ngokushesha. "Inkinga ngokomlando bekuwukuthi azivamile izitshalo ezikhiqiza kakhulu," kusho uPatrick Brown, usosayensi wezitshalo eNyuvesi yaseCalifornia, eDavis, etshela. Wired. “Futhi inselelo ukuthi kufanele ube nokugxilisa kakhulu kwe-nickel kanye ne-biomass ephezulu ukuze uzuze umphumela ophusile, osebenza kahle kwezomnotho.”

Noma kunjalo, uma abacwaningi bengakwengeza kulowo mbuthano, le ndlela ingaba yindlela ethembisayo yokuthuthukisa ukuhlinzekwa kwamaminerali abalulekile adingekayo ukusekela ukuguqukela emnothweni oluhlaza.

Ikhredithi Yesithombe: I-Nickel hyperaccumulator I-Alyssum argenteum / UDavid Stang nge-Wikimedia Commons

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• Source: https://singularityhub.com/2024/03/28/these-plants-could-mine-crucial-battery-materials-from-the-soil-with-their-roots/