What is phytomining?

Phytomining is the production of a metal by growing high-biomass plants that hyper-accumulate high concentrations of a target metal. A phytomining operation would entail planting a hyperaccumlator crop over a low-grade ore body or mineralized soil, followed by harvesting and incineration of the biomass to ash to produce "bio-ore". Some plants are natural hyperaccumlators, while others require induction for hyperaccumulation. Phytomining has several advantages over conventional mining.