Rare Earth Biological Manufacturing and High Value-added Material Application

Rare earth elements (REEs) are widely used in various frontier fields as critical raw materials for the development of modern industries and technologies. Due to the scattered distribution, the mining of rare earth elements is often accompanied by damage to the natural environment; similar chemical properties also make the separation of rare earth elements with high energy consumption and severe pollution. Through the construction of engineered rare earth microorganisms, biomining technology can be employed to address the challenges encountered in traditional processes. Moreover, establishing an engineered rare earth microbial synthesis platform enables the in situ synthesis of high value-added rare earth biomaterials, thereby facilitating clinical translational research and application in the field of rare earth biomaterials. The rational design of rare earth microorganisms, the synthesis of high value-added rare earth biomaterials, and their applications are discussed in this review. An outlook for future research and development in this field is presented.