Seaweed as a New Frontier for Rare Earths

As the global demand for rare earths accelerates, one Australian company is exploring an unexpected source: seaweed. BPH Global (ASX: BP8) is developing a sustainable approach to critical-mineral recovery, extending its existing seaweed operations into an emerging frontier for resource innovation.

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From Nutraceuticals to Minerals

BPH Global’s origins lie in cultivating and processing seaweed for nutraceutical use. Seaweed grown in pristine waters contains a wide range of natural compounds used in health and wellness products. Yet the same biological trait that makes seaweed valuable for nutraceuticals, its ability to absorb minerals from its environment, has opened a new commercial pathway.

According to Chairman Paul Stephenson, seaweed functions as a hyper-accumulator, drawing metals and nutrients directly from seawater. The company’s recent research has shown that when seaweed grows in polluted or mineral-rich waters, it can contain significantly higher concentrations of elements such as copper, silver and even gold. Initial assays taken from the Johore Strait, between Singapore and Malaysia, recorded up to seven to ten times higher mineral concentrations than samples collected from clean waters.

How the Process Works

BPH uses mass spectrometry to identify mineral presence within seaweed biomass. This testing has confirmed the biological accumulation model and helped guide the company’s next phase of work, developing viable extraction techniques.

Separating metals from organic matter remains a challenge. Potential solutions range from biological extraction and chemical separation to pyrolysis, where the seaweed is heated to release concentrated minerals. Each approach must preserve mineral content while remaining cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable.

Partnerships and Research Progress

To advance its work, BPH Global has entered a 12-month Master Services Agreement with Singapore-based Marchwood Laboratory Services. The partnership will focus on advanced assay testing for critical and precious metals, including lanthanum, terbium, yttrium and neodymium. These elements are essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and high-performance electronics.

BPH’s long-term vision is to move from laboratory validation to commercial-scale extraction. The company plans to refine its techniques across multiple seaweed species and sites, assessing the best conditions for consistent mineral uptake.

Strategic Value for Investors

Seaweed-based mineral recovery offers a distinctive investment angle in Australia’s critical-minerals landscape. Traditional mining faces high environmental and capital costs, while seaweed cultivation presents a lower-impact alternative with shorter growth cycles and renewable feedstock.

For investors seeking exposure to overlooked investment opportunities or small companies funds targeting sustainable industries, BPH Global represents an early-stage but compelling concept. The model also aligns with themes favoured by absolute return funds, which value diversification, low correlation and exposure to innovation rather than market momentum.

However, scalability and extraction efficiency remain the main variables to watch. Commercial viability will depend on proving that seaweed can deliver recoverable quantities of rare earths at a competitive cost.

A Broader Environmental Impact

Beyond its investment case, the project contributes to bioremediation, removing pollutants and improving water quality in affected marine zones. This circular approach — cleaning the environment while recovering valuable resources — could redefine how industries view waste and sustainability.

Key Takeaway

BPH Global’s research highlights a potential new path for the rare-earth sector, one that blends biology, sustainability and resource recovery. If the company succeeds in scaling extraction technology, seaweed could become more than a nutritional or ecological asset, it could be part of the next generation of sustainable resource supply chains.