# Explain why phytomining is considered a more sustainable method of metal extraction than traditional mining, and describe what happens to the plants after they have absorbed metal compounds from the soil.

> OCR GCSE Chemistry A: Gateway Science (J248) — C6.3 Interpreting and interacting with Earth systems · Explain · 4 marks

> Some mining companies are turning to phytomining to extract copper from low-grade ores. In phytomining, plants are grown on soil containing copper compounds. The plants absorb and accumulate the copper compounds as they grow.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Traditional mining causes greater damage to the environment / landscape (than phytomining)
2. Phytomining can extract metal from low-grade ores / soil where traditional mining would not be economical
3. The plants are harvested / cut down after absorbing the metal compounds
4. The harvested plants are burned to produce an ash that contains the metal compound / copper compound, which can then be processed to obtain the metal

## Key terms

- [phytomining](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/phytomining)
- [sustainable](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/sustainable)

## Related

- [Revision notes for OCR GCSE Chemistry A: Gateway Science (J248)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/explain-why-phytomining-is-considered-a-255707a0) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.