Phytoextraction is an alternative biological method used to obtain metals from low-grade ores or soils contaminated with heavy metal compounds.

Hyperaccumulator plants are grown in the soil, absorbing metal ions through their roots. Once harvested and dried, the plants are incinerated to produce a concentrated ash containing these metal compounds.

In a commercial trial, hyperaccumulator plants were cultivated on soil rich in zinc compounds. A 1.6 kg sample of the dry ash harvested from these plants was analyzed and found to contain 112.0 g of zinc compounds.