Biological twist: Engineered proteins separate rare earth elements with over 90% purity

A protein-based separation technique from Battelle could offer US manufacturers a new way to recover rare earth elements with fewer processing stages. Researchers engineered calcium-binding proteins that can distinguish between rare earth elements at the molecular level. Tests separated lanthanum and neodymium with more than 90% purity and yield in a single stage. The result could matter for the United States as demand grows for materials used in advanced electronics and permanent magnets. Rare earth processing remains difficult because many of the elements behave similarly during conventional chemical separation. Proteins target specific elements Battelle’s researchers turned to biology for a problem typically handled through chemical engineering. They modified calcium-binding peptides to interact selectively with particular rare earth elements. That selectivity gives the process a different operating principle from conventional separation methods. Instead of relying on repeated chemical processing, the engineered proteins recognize target elements within a mixed material stream. The researchers tested the approach using simulated leachates and industrial feedstock materials. Their experiments also removed non-rare-earth ions from those streams. Lanthanum and neodymium provided an important demonstration. The proteins separated the two elements while maintaining more than 90% purity and yield. That performance could make the approach interesting for future recovery systems. Scaling the process will determine whether laboratory results can translate into practical industrial operations. New route for processing Rare earth separation represents one of the hardest stages in the mineral supply chain. Mining can produce ore containing multiple elements, but isolating individual materials requires highly selective processing. Those materials support permanent magnets in electric vehicles and wind turbines. They also appear in smartphones, defense equipment, and advanced computing hardware. The US has sought additional ways to reduce vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains. New separation technologies could help expand domestic processing options without depending entirely on established chemical routes. Dr. Kate H. Kucharzyk, a research leader at Battelle, said biology could expand the toolkit available for mineral recovery. “Biology may offer an important new part of the separations and recovery solution,” Kucharzyk said. “Engineered proteins can selectively recognize and separate rare earth elements with remarkable precision.” Industrial potential The research received support through DARPA’s Environmental Microbes as a Bioengineering Resource program. Battelle now sees potential for scaling the protein-based process toward commercial applications. Engineering challenges remain before the technique can enter an industrial plant. Processing large material volumes could require substantial changes to protein production, recovery, and system design. Researchers will also need to determine how the proteins perform across different feedstocks and operating conditions. Industrial mineral streams can contain complex mixtures that behave differently from controlled laboratory samples. Another question involves the durability of the proteins during repeated processing cycles. Any commercial system would need consistent separation performance while keeping operating costs under control. The demonstration still points toward an unusual intersection of biotechnology and mineral processing. Engineered proteins could eventually become another tool for recovering strategically important materials inside the US.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Aamir is a seasoned tech journalist with experience at Exhibit Magazine, Republic World, and PR Newswire. With a deep love for all things tech and science, he has spent years decoding the latest innovations and exploring how they shape industries, lifestyles, and the future of humanity.