Ying Sun – Plant-Based Mining

As part of the Rare Flora team, Ying Sun is addressing the demand for rare-earth elements through plant-based mining, offering a cost-effective way to unlock new sources of critical minerals.

Humanity faces an insatiable demand for rare earth elements. They are essential for modern life and used in everything from magnets and electric cars to medical devices. Yet, conventional mines have enormous capital costs, decades-long development times, and heavy environmental impacts. As demand continues to grow, alternative extraction approaches are needed to satisfy future demand.

Currently, all rare earth elements are sourced from open-pit mines, with global production declining compared to a decade ago. This limited and centralized supply chain leaves manufacturers vulnerable to price volatility and geopolitical risk. Rare Flora's plant-based mining platform offers a scalable, cost-effective alternative to access new, low-grade rare earth element sources and concentrates them into bio-ore, reducing the chemical and energy costs faced by downstream refining facilities.

While early plant-based efforts have focused mostly on nickel farming, Rare Flora is pioneering rare earth element recovery through their next-generation plant biotechnology platform. The Rare Flora team is identifying novel metal uptake pathways and developing high-biomass plants by integrating advanced genomics, precision breeding, and proprietary screening methods. Unlike existing plant-based strategies, which rely on naturally occurring hyperaccumulators with slow growth and limited metal yields, Rare Flora is leveraging modern plant science to expand the range of viable species and environments for plant-based mining. Combined with low infrastructure requirements and faster deployment timelines, Rare Flora's platform positions them as a first mover in rare earth element plant-based metal extraction.

Status

Prototype

Industry

Critical metals

Potential Markets

• Rare earth and critical mineral refining
• Closed mines and land remediation

Looking For

• Industry mentors
• Funding
• Strategic partnerships
• Customer identification
• Subject matter experts (plant product development and commercialization, mining industry supply chains)