OVERVIEW OF FERTILIZERS IN BRAZIL: A JUSTIFICATION FOR STONEMEAL

The fertilizers production chain encompasses the different raw materials (phosphate rock, sulfur, potassium, and natural gas) needed to form the intermediate products (MAP, DAP, SSP, SST, etc.) which are combined to create NPK fertilizer. Due to its huge geodiversity, Brazil has significant phosphate deposits, but the same is not true in terms of its potassium, sulfur, and nitrogen (the latter two coming mainly from the petroleum and natural gas chain) deposits. This has led the country to rely on the expensive importation of these raw materials, which might jeopardize the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness. Through data on reserves, producti...

USE OF BLENDS OF SILICATE AGROMINERALS AS A K SOURCE FOR SOYBEAN CROPS

This study aimed to test the efficiency of blends of silicate agrominerals as K sources for soybean crops. The experiment was conducted in the surroundings of Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina – DF (TN: city in the Midwest, Brazil), in two field areas with similar climate conditions and different soil types: a medium texture soil and a clay soil. The experiment was carried out in 6 random blocks, with the following treatments: syenite and biotite schist (silicate rocks), and potassium chloride (conventional fertilizer), in doses of 0 kg, 60 kg, 120 kg, 240 kg, and 480 kg of K2O ha-1. The soil was prepared and the treatments on each plot were manually ...

STONEMEAL IN THE SOUTH OF MARANHÃO AND PIAUÍ STATES

According to forecast analysis based on strategic planning tools, the current model of agriculture practiced in the southern plains of Maranhão and Piauí states (Brazil) is unsustainable in the medium and long terms. Elaborated geological surveys in this region are pointing to large deposits of rocks and agrominerals, which can facilitate the practice of stonemeal. This could contribute to the conservation of soils and water resources. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295099176_Anais_do_II_Congresso_Brasileiro_de_Rochagem_coletanea_de_varios_autores

EFFECTS OF STONEMEAL WITH ORGANIC FERTILIZATION ON TROPICAL SOILS

This paper presents partial results of research whose main goal is to investigate the potential of using rock dust for soil remineralization. Five types of rocks were evaluated (kamafugite, carbonate-bearing mica schist, hydrothermal metamorphic rock, fresh basalt and weathered basalt) with, or without, the addition of organic compost (bovine manure). Experimentation took place near the city of Planaltina, in the Federal District area of Brasilia, Brazil. Testing occurred over a two-year period on five agricultural crops (corn, beans, garlic, carrots and okra), on a minimum of two harvests, using crop rotation. Preliminary results show that different ...

ACTION OF MICROORGANISMS IN BASALT POWDER

Stonemeal is the application of crushed rocks in the soil. The objective of this work was to observe the action of microorganisms (inoculated and native) on the mineralization of basalt rock dust and to measure the elements released into the soil. This assessment was done by comparing decomposing particles of basalt powder applied to humic A horizon of a soil derived from granite. The basalt powder was collected at Cavinatto quarry, situated in Limeira-SP (Brazil). The experiment is being conducted in vitro, in isolated plastic containers with the following treatments: 1) soil; 2) sterilized soil; 3) soil without sterilization and with addition of ...

Geographic Information System as a contribution to the use of rock powder from the Serra Geral formation in areas of wine geographical indication in Brazil

Brazilian areas of wine geographical indication seek for the sustainable development of their production. The use of rock powder as well as stonemeal practices may contribute to the remineralization of soils and plant nutrition, which can add value to the final product. However, the use of stonemeal is still incipient in these wine-producing regions. Possible reasons for this may include a lack of information regarding the identification of sources of these materials for stonemeal, as well as, the distance of the sources to the farms. The research institution Embrapa Uva e Vinho (Embrapa Grape and Wine) has a detailed survey of areas of wine geograp...

USE OF ROCK DUST AS SOIL CONDITIONER AND FERTILIZER IN SUGARCANE CROP

This study has evaluated the use of ground mica-schist rock dust in sugarcane crop for the production of biofuels. Four treatments were defined: fine mica schist sand, coarse mica schist sand, control absolute, and control with standard fertilization used by Raízen Company. The treatments were applied in a system of strip cropping with four replications. The results were obtained from measuring the Total Recoverable Sugar per hecter (TRS/ha), a standardazised method in Brazil that defines the price of the sugarcane based on, amog other factors, the prices of sugar and ethanol in the market. The TRS/ha functions like a currency for commercializing ...

Challenges in Sovereignty and Food Security: Using Stonemeal as an Alternative and Sustainable Source

The creation of more sustainable systems has become an environmental, economic and juridical imposition, highlighting the premise of development and use of alternative sources of nutrients to crops, like biofertilizers and natural mineral sources. The stonemeal technique, which is the use of rock dust to efficiently manage soil fertility, presumes that the slower dissolution of nutrients secures soil productivity and fertility for longer periods. Hence, the by-products of the gravel industry would have a more noble use. The use of rock dust promotes an increased cation-exchange capacity (CEC) in the solid due to the formation of new clay minerals, as ...

CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ACIDIC VOLCANIC ROCK MINING RESIDUE AND ASSESSMENT OF ITS NUTRIENT RELEASE POTENTIAL FOR STONEMEAL

The fertilization of soils with application of comminuted acidic volcanic rock is an alternative that can partially or completely replace the use of soluble chemical fertilizers. This technique is called stonemeal. Nutrient extraction studies were conducted in the laboratory to determine the capacity of a rock dust sample from a crushing facility in Nova Prata Municipality, Rio Grande do Sul. The study material was an acidic volcanic rock residue collected in the Extraction Industry Union Quarry, Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul, with a particle size range of < 0.6 mm. Chemical, mineralogical, physical and physicochemical analyzes of the rock dust ...

IDENTIFICATION OF ZEOLITE GROUP OF MINERALS BY REFLECTANCE SPECTROSCOPY

The use of zeolites to improve the quality of the soil for agriculture gains space around the world. The high cation exchange capacity of zeolites favors the retention of nutrients in the soil and the high capacity of these minerals to retain water in their crystal lattices makes them excellent soil conditioner. The absence of zeolite deposits in exploration in Brazil points to the basalts of the Serra Geral Formation of the Parana Basin as a target with great potential for the exploration of natural zeolites. Researches done by CPRM (Geological Survey of Brazil) highlight the significant presence of zeolites at the contact between the lower flows of ...