The phytoextraction of gold is an exciting new area of research involving the use of plants to extract gold from a low grade ore and waste products. The aim of this study was to screen some Australian native plant species and exotic agricultural species for their potential use in cyanide-induced phytoextraction of gold from a crushed ore body. Plants were grown in an ore body with a gold grade of 1.75 g/ ton gold and treated with 0.1 g/kg and 1 g/kg cyanide as aqueous NaCN. The above-ground biomass was harvested one week after treatment and the gold concentration determined. Mean gold concentrations of up to 27 g/ton (d.w.) were found in the plant tissue of Tri-folium repens cv. Prestige. Higher gold concentrations were generally found in the stems and older leaves with the lowest gold concentrations in the young leaves. Plants grown in the I g/kg cyanide treatment generally had higher concentrations of gold in the plant tissue than plants grown in the 0.1 g/kg cyanide treatment. This study demonstrates the potential use of plants to extract and concentrate gold from a low grade ore and waste products. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.