Recent comments in /f/Futurology

PseudoDave t1_jaj29zq wrote

Reply to comment by LummoxJR in German scientists show a commercially feasible method for cyanobacteria to extract 17 rare earth elements from low-concentration sources. Currently, most of the world's supply of these elements is mined in China. by lughnasadh

As the concentration is low. You need flow through and not batch, then need to release the water again. So you would have to change the pH on a fast flow through, capture, release, then recorrect pH for release after. There is proteins that work well at low pH for selective REE capture, LanM as an example.

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kaestiel t1_jaityb7 wrote

Reply to comment by dillrepair in German scientists show a commercially feasible method for cyanobacteria to extract 17 rare earth elements from low-concentration sources. Currently, most of the world's supply of these elements is mined in China. by lughnasadh

Don't forget that's why the US has been trying to break up Russia and setup the Ukraine as their battering ram, too. Along with every other resource available in Russian land. Taiwan is the next Ukraine, the boogeyman groundwork has already been laid

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avdpos t1_jaioce7 wrote

Reply to comment by MyPhillyAccent in German scientists show a commercially feasible method for cyanobacteria to extract 17 rare earth elements from low-concentration sources. Currently, most of the world's supply of these elements is mined in China. by lughnasadh

You have a lot of waste water and stones/minerals left over when you mine.

This may help making it economically viable to get out one more product from the same mine.

So if it uses mine waste it may be better for envoirment. But we will see.

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average_asshole t1_jailp34 wrote

Reply to comment by AGVann in German scientists show a commercially feasible method for cyanobacteria to extract 17 rare earth elements from low-concentration sources. Currently, most of the world's supply of these elements is mined in China. by lughnasadh

I was going to say hahaha, its not like the Asian continent is the only place they can be mined, its just that China does it cheaply enough that the western world is happy to preserve our environment and pay China to wreck theirs.

Even with environmental regulations, mining rare earth elements is especially toxic for the environment

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Sylvurphlame t1_jaije1j wrote

Reply to comment by madpiano in German scientists show a commercially feasible method for cyanobacteria to extract 17 rare earth elements from low-concentration sources. Currently, most of the world's supply of these elements is mined in China. by lughnasadh

I don’t know the exact mechanism. I just know that certain Cyanobacteria species produce neurotoxins. Either defensively or as a metabolic byproduct. Been a while since my last biology course.

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