Fern Produces Nanoscale Rare-Earth Mineral Crystals

Researchers in South China report that the fern Blechnum orientale naturally forms nanoscale crystals of monazite, a REE-bearing mineral, inside its tissues.

Using high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis, the team found monazite particles concentrated in cell walls and intercellular spaces. Monazite is a primary geological source of rare earth elements (REEs), the 17 metals used in magnets, batteries, electronics and medical devices. The crystals exhibit complex, branched patterns that the authors liken to a microscopic "chemical garden," marking the first observation of a living plant producing an REE mineral.

The finding clarifies the chemical speciation of accumulated REEs in a known hyperaccumulator species, information that is critical for designing extraction and recovery workflows. It also strengthens the concept of phytomining: using plants to concentrate critical metals from low-grade soils with lower environmental impact than conventional mining.

Practical application will require work on biomass yields, accumulation rates, recovery chemistry and ecological constraints, but the discovery reveals a biologically mediated pathway for REE mineral formation. If scalable, such plant-based strategies could become part of greener supply chains for critical minerals.