RAZOR Science Show – These plans could change the future of mining
In northern Albania, an emerging start-up is scaling the cultivation of hyperaccumulator plants—species that naturally absorb unusually high concentrations of metals from the soil. Metalplant is currently growing these plants across 7 hectares, with the objective of extracting and refining battery-grade nickel from the harvested biomass. To further improve the environmental footprint of the process, the company is combining phytomining with enhanced rock weathering, a technique that accelerates natural mineral reactions to permanently capture atmospheric CO₂. The result is a novel approach to nickel production that aims to be not only low-impact, but carbon negative.
DW Planet A – Can this nickel-eating plant help solve the battery crisis?
This video highlights how Metalplant is turning nature into a miner. In northern Albania, fields of nickel-hyperaccumulator plants are grown on ultramafic soil where they naturally pull nickel up from the ground and store it in their biomass. Instead of traditional mining, the plants are harvested and processed into battery-grade nickel, and the process is paired with enhanced rock weathering to permanently capture CO₂ from the atmosphere — creating a carbon-negative nickel production method.
New York Stock Exchange – Metalplant CEO on scaling up CO2 removal and providing nickel required for clean energy transition
We’re on a mission to scale up carbon dioxide removal and provide the nickel required to support society’s clean energy transition. Metalplant was founded in order to help the world scale to gigatonnes per year of carbon dioxide removal at low prices, while simultaneously providing the valuable and necessary metals for the green energy transition.
Mind Crafted Stories – Revolutionizing Mining with Plants: The Future is Green!
Dive into the world of innovative phytomining with Erik Metzner and his startup Metalplant. Operating in northern Albania, this groundbreaking venture is transforming barren nickel-rich soil into a sustainable resource. Traditional farming may struggle here, but by harnessing the incredible power of nickel hyperaccumulator plants, Metalplant extracts valuable nickel from the earth efficiently and eco-consciously. Discover how these plants flourish where others fail and learn about the journey from plant to product—turning biomass into nickel sulfate for electric vehicle batteries. The future of mining has never looked greener!