PHYTOMINING IS THE USE OF PLANTS TO EXTRACT MINERALS FROM THE SOIL. NICKEL PHYTOMINING HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL TO BRING BOTH ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND GREATER MINERAL SECURITY TO THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER AS THE COUNTRY BEGINS TO RELY MORE ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. VERINOMICS AND METALPLANT ARE COLLABORATING TO TURN TWO FOREIGN SPECIES OF PLANTS INTO SUITABLE CANDIDATES FOR PHYTOMINING NICKEL RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES. TO DO THIS, NEW TECHNOLOGIES LIKE GENE EDITING NEED TO BE DEPLOYED TO IMPROVE THEIR YIELD AND PREVENT THEM FROM RELEASING SEEDS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT COULD DAMAGE NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS. BEYOND THIS, METALPLANT AND VERINOMICS WILL LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR FURTHER INNOVATION BY PLANT BREEDERS AND SCIENTISTS BY ESSENTIALLY DOMESTICATING THESE SPECIES FROM WILD ONES INTO CROP PLANTS. WHILE THIS PROJECT IS AMBITIOUS IN ITS GOALS, IT OFFERS A REALISTIC STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO CREATING A LOW-CARBON, HIGH-VALUE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY A SOLUTION TO THE POTENTIAL NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE OF SECURING AND STIMULATING DOMESTIC NICKEL PRODUCTION.