Pelletized basalt for use as a soil amendment
A composition including at least about 50 wt % basalt and no more than about 20 wt % binding agent, wherein the composition is in the form of a plurality of particles. The composition can find applications in agriculture, horticulture, and gardening, and can be used. e.g., as soil amendment.
1. A soil amendment composition comprising:
at least one of basalt, metabasalt, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one of basalt, metabasalt, or a combination thereof is present at 60 wt % to 98 wt % based on a total weight of the soil amendment composition; and
a binding agent,
wherein the soil amendment composition is in the form of a plurality of particles,
wherein the plurality of particles comprises a plurality of agglomerated particles having an average particle size of about 0.25 mm to about 10 mm, each of the plurality of agglomerated particles being a particle in which a plurality of particles of the at least one of basalt, metabasalt, or a combination thereof are agglomerated together by the binding agent, and
wherein the binding agent comprises humic acid.
2. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the soil amendment composition comprises basalt.
3. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the soil amendment composition comprises metabasalt.
4. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the binding agent is present at 1 wt % to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
5. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the binding agent is present at 1 wt % to 5 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
6. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of basalt, metabasalt, or a combination thereof is present at 90 wt % to 98 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
7. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the binding agent is an organic liquid.
8. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the binding agent further comprises lignosulfonate.
9. The soil amendment composition of claim 8 , wherein a weight ratio of the humic acid and the lignosulfonate is 10:1 to 99:1.
10. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , further comprising an inorganic compound that includes at least one of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or combinations thereof.
11. The soil amendment composition of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic compound is present at 0.5 wt % to 20 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
12. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , further comprising lime.
13. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the soil amendment composition is substantially free of a microbial component.
14. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , where the plurality of particles have an average particle size of about 1 mm to about 4 mm.
15. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein at least 60% of the plurality of particles pass 100 US mesh.
16. The soil amendment composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of basalt, metabasalt, or a combination thereof is selected from the group consisting of (a) tholeiitic basalt, (b) high-alumina basalt, (c) alkali basalt, (d) boninite, (e) ocean island basalt, and (f) lunar basalt.
17. A soil amendment composition comprising:
metabasalt, wherein the metabasalt is present at 60 wt % to 98 wt % based on a total weight of the soil amendment composition; and
a binding agent, wherein the soil amendment composition is in the form of a plurality of particles,
wherein the plurality of particles comprises a plurality of agglomerated particles having an average particle size of about 0.25 mm to about 10 mm, each of the plurality of agglomerated particles being a particle in which a plurality of particles of the metabasalt are agglomerated together by the binding agent, and
wherein the binding agent comprises humic acid.
18. The soil amendment composition of claim 17 , wherein the binding agent is present at 1 wt % to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
19. The soil amendment composition of claim 17 , wherein the binding agent is present at 1 wt % to 5 wt % based on the total weight of the soil amendment composition.
20. A soil amendment composition comprising: metabasalt, wherein the metabasalt is present at 60 wt % to 98 wt % based on a total weight of the soil amendment composition; and
fulvic acid,
wherein the soil amendment composition is in the form of a plurality of particles, and
wherein the plurality of particles comprises a plurality of agglomerated particles having an average particle size of about 0.25 mm to about 10 mm, each of the plurality of agglomerated particles being a particle in which a plurality of particles of the metabasalt are agglomerated together.