KUALA LUMPUR — In the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest mountain, grows a rare plant known as Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi that absorbs nickel from the area’s metal-rich soil.
Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi is what is known as a hyper-accumulating plant, and even among this unique group it stands out as having some of the world’s highest nickel-absorbing abilities. Now, the Malaysian government is looking to tap this “natural treasure” as an alternative source of nickel via a process known as phytomining.
