New Discovery of Bacterium Could Have Big Impact on Availability of Rare Earth Elements
In a recent discovery, scientists have found a bacterium that could have a big impact on the availability of rare earth elements. This newly found bacterium, called Paenibacillus sp. Y412MC10, can extract rare earth elements from ore with an efficiency that is previously unheard of. This could help to increase the availability of rare earth elements, which are used in a variety of modern technologies and are becoming increasingly scarce.
The bacterium’s ability to extract rare earth elements is due to its production of an enzyme known as a phosphatase. Phosphatase is capable of breaking down the minerals that contain rare earth elements, making them easier to extract and process. This enzyme could be used to develop more efficient and less expensive methods of extracting rare earth elements from ore.
This discovery could have a big impact on the availability of rare earth elements, and could ultimately lead to significant changes in the way these elements are used. By increasing the availability, more people will have access to the materials needed for their technologies. This could have big implications for the future of technology and could lead to new and innovative discoveries.
source: Phys.org