Research Projects

The demand for Rare-earth elements (REEs) is growing exponentially due to their wide applications in various fields, including information technology, health, aviation, vehicular transport, entertainment, clean energy, and defense technologies. China currently dominates the REE industry with 85% of global export. To break China's monopoly and support initiatives like "Make in India" and "Clean and Green Energy," India must explore alternative sources of REEs and recover them in an environmentally friendly manner using microbial interventions. REEs are associated with several ore or accessory minerals and have a higher concentration in the Earth's crust than other commonly exploited elements. The proposed project proposes a green strategy for REE extraction by identifying alternative natural sources, such as lateritic soil in India and overburdened sand-shale strata in coal mine areas. These deposits have higher concentrations of REEs compared to the average upper continental crust composition, making them potential sources for REE recovery. Microbes can adhere REEs to their cell surface through electrostatic interactions, covalent bonding, and van der Waals forces. The project aims to provide a green solution for REE extraction and establish a protocol for REE recovery.