Deutsche Welle in Tropojë, Albania,Where the Green Revolution Begins

The birthplace of an agromining renaissance

In the far north of Albania, where the Albanian Alps rise like ancient guardians and the air tastes of wild thyme and stone, there lies a valley — Tropojë — remote, resilient, and resplendent in its quiet grandeur. Here, the mountains breathe stories that have outlasted empires. The rivers carve through myth and memory. And beneath this untamed landscape, a quiet miracle stirs — not of war or conquest, but of green leaves and patient roots.

This is not the industrial revolution reborn in smoke and steel.
It is the Green Revolution, where nature herself becomes the scientist, the architect, and the alchemist.

Beneath Tropojë’s rugged soil lies a secret that could redefine the future of both agriculture and energy — a secret whispered by the earth itself. Within these mineral-rich terrains, where nickel veins thread through rock and dust, flourish plants unlike any other: hyperaccumulators, the “metal-eating” flora capable of drawing heavy metals from the soil and storing them within their living tissues.

This is agromining — the art and science of cultivating metals through plants, transforming farming into a symphony of ecology and engineering.

Imagine a landscape where fields no longer yield only food but harvest the very elements that power our modern world. Where the farmer becomes both steward and innovator, tending not just to crops, but to the chemistry of the planet itself. Here, science does not dominate nature; it listens, learns, and collaborates.

Once overlooked and underestimated, Tropojë is now emerging as a beacon of innovation — a living canvas where ancient land meets cutting-edge sustainability. What was once a region defined by remoteness is now a crucible of green technology, a place where poverty transforms into potential, and soil becomes both sanctuary and solution.

Here, under the watchful eyes of the mountains, a new kind of wealth is taking root — one that grows, regenerates, and gives back.
It is a wealth measured not in currency, but in carbon captured, metals renewed, and futures restored.

As Sahit Muja, founder of Metalplant, told Deutsche Welle:

“At Metalplant, we are forging a future powered by green nickel — the lifeblood of the next generation of clean energy. Here in Tropojë, soil and crushed green olivine unite to pull carbon from the sky through enhanced rock weathering. Our plants harvest metal from the fields, transforming each leaf into a vessel of progress. Every extraction of nickel becomes a cornerstone of sustainability — fueling batteries, stainless steel, and the backbone of a regenerative, resilient green economy.”

In this vision, science and soil intertwine.
Each root becomes a miner, each leaf a refinery of possibility.
Through them, we glimpse a future where progress is not an act of taking, but of cultivating — a world where innovation hums in harmony with the heartbeat of the planet.

And so, Tropojë, once known for its rugged beauty and fierce traditions, now stands as a symbol of renewal — a place where the seeds of tomorrow are already sprouting from the earth.

From these remote highlands, a message echoes outward:
That the answers to our most pressing crises — of climate, of energy, of sustainability — may not lie in the depths of mines or the heat of factories, but in the quiet intelligence of plants.

This is not just the story of a region.
It is the story of a paradigm shift — of humanity rediscovering its covenant with nature.
A movement where metal grows in the soil, where carbon is drawn from the sky, and where hope takes root beneath our very feet.

Tropojë is no longer the periphery of progress.
It is its pulse.
Its experiment.
Its revolution.

Can a nickel-eating plant help solve the battery crisis?
Perhaps.
But beyond that, it may just remind us — that even in the most unexpected places, the future still grows green.
At the crossroads of nature’s power and human innovation, Albanian Minerals stands as the guardian of the world’s largest green olivine reserves — a natural treasure with the potential to reshape the global fight against climate change. Deep beneath the majestic Albanian Alps lies a mineral capable of extraordinary transformation: green olivine, the Earth’s own carbon sponge. Through advanced mineral processing and enhanced rock weathering, this ancient stone reacts with atmospheric CO₂, locking it away safely and permanently. By supplying green magnesium and olivine to partners such as Metalplant, Albanian Minerals is helping to turn geology into climate technology — transforming mineral wealth into a tool for carbon sequestration, clean energy, and sustainable progress. From the rugged soils of Tropojë to the laboratories of the future, Albania’s green olivine is not just a resource; it is a revolution in how humanity can work with the planet to heal the atmosphere and forge a truly regenerative economy.

▶️ Watch the full Deutsche Welle feature: youtube.com