Sep 29, 2026 · 21 min
Researchers turn bacterial proteins into rare-earth refinery tools
Rare Earth Elements
Rare earths enable modern technology, but rebuilding a resilient supply chain depends on separating them efficiently, scaling domestic refining, and recovering materials from waste.
- 1Rare earths power compact electronics, electric motors, and defense systems because of their exceptional magnetic properties.
- 2Lanmodulin-based aqueous columns could make separation more selective while reducing reliance on harsh organic-solvent processes.
- 3Domestic resilience requires more than mining, including pilot-scale refining, new material uses, manufacturing, and electronics recycling.
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The researchers use the Spicy Lambs system to screen thousands of lanmodulin variants rapidly, then confront the limits of redesigning its natural selectivity.
The brief
Rare earths became valuable long before today’s electronics boom, but their modern importance rests on powerful magnetic properties that make screens, motors, and defense systems smaller and more efficient.
Scott McCall explains the central bottleneck: rare earths are widespread, yet their nearly identical chemistry makes conventional separation costly, equipment-heavy, and dependent on harsh chemicals.
Dan Park and colleagues adapt lanmodulin, a bacteria-derived protein, onto porous resin so columns can selectively capture rare earths from aqueous mixtures.
The Spicy Lambs screening system tests thousands of protein variants, but attempts to reverse lanmodulin’s natural selectivity show how difficult it is to outperform evolution.
The broader challenge is industrial: the United States must scale refining, find uses for lower-value elements, conserve scarce materials, and recover rare earths from discarded electronics.