Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

 

Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

26 May 2010

Solid Energy’s high-quality humates from its New Vale Mine in Southland has achieved a major milestone - gaining organic certification with BioGro New Zealand, the country’s leading organic certification agency.

Scientific testing recently confirmed that select lignite seams at Solid Energy’s New Vale Mine in Southland are a source of high-quality humates, which could play a key role in greening New Zealand both literally and figuratively.

“Humates are rich in humic and fulvic acids and these acids help retain nutrients for plants,” says Solid Energy Environmental Business Manager, Dr Paul Weber.  Early results show that the humate product from New Vale could have more than 30% humic acid.  “Our last load, which we shipped recently, had a humic acid content of 43%, which was fantastic.”

“Exploratory laboratory trials have indicated humates can slow the leaching of nitrogen fertilisers,” he says.  “This may allow plants to use more of the nutrient before it leaches away. By helping soils retain nitrogen, humates could offer financial benefits to farmers and also reduce the negative effects of leaching on aquifers and rivers.”

Dr Weber says New Zealand farmers and gardeners apply about 2,000 tonnes of humates a year but the market is predicted to jump to 10,000 tonnes in the coming years due to its increasing reputation.  “Most of the humates used in New Zealand are currently imported from Australia, involving considerable transport costs, so we hope that our New Vale discovery can provide a comparable high-quality local source,” he says.

Solid Energy has an agreement with New Zealand Humates Limited (NZH) to supply humates for the New Zealand market.  Dave Whitteker, Managing Director of NZH and an eight-year advocate of humates, says the supply deal represents an opportunity to harness New Zealand’s own natural resources in a very green way and reduce the country’s reliance on international imports. 

“Now that we’ve gained organic certification of the New Vale Mine humates with BioGro New Zealand – the local product is even more palatable for  customers,” Mr Whitteker says.  A number of his clients now use 4% to 10% humate mixed with fertiliser and agricultural limestone applications to maximise pasture and crop response.

“Further research is required on this product, under New Zealand conditions, to maximise the benefits, and trials are currently under way with Lincoln University,” Mr Whitteker says.

Dr Weber, who also manages environmental research and development for Solid Energy, concludes that the humate market is young but has strong potential.  “We are already investigating options for liquid humates that could be used for blended fertilisers, water treatment and clean-up of contaminated sites.  Watch this space,” he says.

Humate and Lime

Many New Zealand farmers are discovering the benefits of adding HuMate to lime. The following although a little complicated go's some way to explaining the science behind the benefits being seen. HuMate from NZH is high in both Fulvic acid and Humic acid referred to in this University document.

Titre du document / Document title

The use of Ca-modified, brown-coal-derived humates and fulvates for treatment of soil acidity

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

PEIRIS Damayanthi ⁽¹⁾ ; PATTI Antonio F. ^{(1 2)} ; JACKSON W. Roy ⁽¹⁾ ; MARSHALL Marc ⁽¹⁾ ; SMITH Christopher J. ⁽³⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Centre for Green Chemistry and School of Chemistry, PO Box 23, Monash University, Vic. 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽²⁾ School of Applied Sciences, Monash University, Vic 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽³⁾ CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1666, Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIE

Résumé / Abstract

Previous workers have demonstrated the amelioration of soil acidity with Ca-saturated, at least slightly soluble, organic materials. This study investigated the effectiveness of a new source of such materials, the humate- or fulvate-rich products of oxidation (hydrogen peroxide) of Loy Yang brown coal. The products were characterised by physical and spectroscopic measurements and by elemental analysis. Two products, one approximately half fulvate (fulvate-rich), the other predominantly humate (humate-rich) were mixed with CaCl₂ and then used to treat columns of an acid red podzol soil from Book Book, NSW. Leachate fractions were collected and analysed for pH, ionic strength, and concentration of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, and Al. After leaching (3 pore volumes), each soil column was sectioned and exchangeable Ca and Al contents were determined. The results were compared with those obtained from lime-treated and untreated columns. The Ca-fulvate-rich product was the most effective in lowering the exchangeable Al content of the soil whilst increasing exchangeable Ca and soil pH. About 90% of the reduction in exchangeable Al was due to loss of Al in the leachate rather than immobilisation. The pH increased over the top 15 cm of the column from 3.8 ± 0.1 to 4.5-5.4. The Ca-humate-rich oxidised product was less effective in ameliorating soil acidity, as expected from its chemical properties, but it increased soil pH (to 4.0-4.7) and exchangeable Ca in the top 6 cm of the column and decreased exchangeable Al in the top 12 cm. More of the reduction in exchangeable Al than for the treatment with Ca-fulvate-rich material was due to conversion to an immobile form. This material was superior to lime, which only gave significant improvement near the soil surface. The leachates from treated columns contained the same amounts of Mg, Mn, and K as a control, but more Fe was leached from treated columns, particularly that treated with the Ca-fulvate-rich product.

Revue / Journal Title

Australian journal of soil research   ISSN 0004-9573   CODEN ASORAB

Exciting new products will give farmers easier access to HuMates

The use of New Zealand HuMates products by Fertiliser companies is gaining momentum as awareness of the benefits of HuMates become more widely apparent.

Lime Quarries throughout the country are stocking HuMate to be blended into Ag Lime to form LiMate, a NZH developed product. Webster's Lime in Havelock North are an example of the quarries involved, talk to Nick on 06 8777617

FoliaFeeds in Dunedin are blending HuMate with Guano with great success. FoliaFeeds can be contacted on 0800 365 4232. 

Fertco in Mt Maunganui have develop pHosMate which is a Dicalcic phosphate Fertiliser that incorporates HuMate, Fertco tell us that demand is increasing and the product is now available from Mt Maunganui, Te Kuiti and Dannevirke. Fertco can be contacted on 0800 337 826

Skeletons, the Horticultural arm of Farmlands have been stocking NZH products for some time now and have been reporting great success with Grapes, Apples and Kiwifruit. Talk to Skeletons on 06 872 7340    

Wisdom from Chelation…..

To improve the soil, Think Organic!

Spring comes, and here in Florida we are given the opportunity today to start building our soil. There are many things we can do to improve our condition of soil, and most of all is the addition of organic matter. Protection of soil for growing plants should be about 4 to 8% organic matter, although often a bare fraction of 1%. There are some steps we can take all year for the goal of healthy soil, and progressSingular act of adding an organic material in which you are lacking is a long way from all of us are better producer with plants much healthier and happier.

There are many soil conditions, changes of soil and soil improvement options are on the market. For reasons of simplicity and ease of use, I prefer all the solutions and comprehensive as possible, but it takes a lot of research and shopping around to find the good ones. I'm going with some of the individualComponents and the benefits you should expect in terms of your soil and plants. How do you compare to respect, to see which contain the best combinations of the following:

Humic, fulvic and Ulmic
Humic, fulvic acids and Ulmic improve soil structure, drainage, root growth and crop quality. They also stimulate the germination of seeds to neutralize the harmful chemicals that increase the cell permeability and help foster positive soil microbial population.

Many of HumateThe substances currently available in the prehistoric plant tissues, which caused millions of years of pressure, was exposed to heat, and microbial activity. This creates a rich, compost-like material that offers a wide range of trace elements and micronutrients that are lacking necessary today from soil and manure are not in the traditional crops.

The best come from ancient humus deposits with greater natural biodiversity due to the fact that theyconsisting of both plant and animal tissue. These are simple to use, both dry and liquid forms. The dry season is usually either as granules, which largely for a speaker of lawn, or a fine powder which is better for re-forestation and starter kit including tea suitable. The best of these raw materials are soluble in water, fluids are formulated with a simple process of liquefaction of cold water, colonies of beneficial micro-organisms that are so important (to have more on that later).Humate products that fit this description are sometimes difficult to find, but worth the hunt.

A second option is acceptable, which will be shot in an impressive "once" the benefits may be derived from shale or lignite Leonardi, where the extraction is designed to eliminate the bacteria and these are less complete. These are much easier to find, often more expensive and less effective in all but in the short term.

Humates are a totalimportant element in a natural environment to grow, and were founded and for centuries to be recognized that, for healthy plants.

Microbes
Your lot may not have sufficient nutrients, as determined by the chemistry set in the whole, but also nutrients in forms that may not be available for use by plants to be bound. Accelerating recovery and promote microbial activity, good soil quality changes the decay process and the subsequent return of nutrients in usable form on the floor.In addition, a healthy active microbial activity compacted soil, encourages deeper root zone, which improves the tolerance to drought reduced / water requirements and increases the natural ventilation.

Two species of microbes that are particularly advantageous for the Bacillus and Pseudomonas. Bacillus species of microbes are primarily decomposers, and as such are instrumental in the degradation of organic matter (like cutting the grass and straw) in nutrients. The right balance improves soilYield and fertility, growth and metabolism of the bacillus, the economic system healthy is the transformation of soil organic matter is of fundamental importance.

Pseudomonas is the primary reason for microbial chelating nutrients that the mechanism by which the nutrients in a form that can easily be converted into usable by plants. Chelated trace elements and minerals are essential for plant growth. These are in the chemistry of plants is important because the plants do not sweat, grow and reproducethe case of insufficient amounts of some minerals and trace elements.

A high quality product will be chelated by the transformation of existing minerals in the soil, and, indirectly, increase the capabilities of indigenous microbes in the system of plants. Chelation with the proposed use of these products increases the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus natural to facilities available and improves the overall efficiency of absorption of nutrients.

Unfortunately,Many manufacturers do not understand that the presence or addition of nutrients is not enough, but it is essential that these nutrients in a form that plants use.
All plans should benefit from a change in sound or an air conditioner, and add / or stimulate the growth and metabolism of beneficial microorganisms. Search for 100% natural and organic formulations, and make sure that there are healthy populations of beneficial micro-organisms in any product thatchoose.

Carbon
Carbon plays an important role as a food source for microbes. Remember, microbes living organisms and all living things need food. A complete solution for communicating the liquid soil amendment also concerns the microbes must also be a life-vans for these microbes. Microbes positive soil mixed with water, and while living in the bottle, it is of utmost importance that an important source of fooduntil incorporated into the soil. There are other advantages of carbon as a food source. Carbon has 6 times its weight in water, the pore space in soil improvement and contribute to areas is hydrophobic. Some studies have also shown that the maintenance of a reduction of carbon-nitrogen pressure 30-1 nematodes.

The best products available on the carbon content of above 80% have, with a carbon content higher than 90%, which is the best anddesirable.

Sustainable and organic farming —
Now you can enjoy for a moment, as I get on my soap box. The benefits of sustainable agricultural practices and environmentally friendly use of soils have been scientifically proven for many years, but the siren simply and solely with synthetic fertilizers and chemicals has been difficult to resist. In addition, we have contaminated groundwater, lakes and rivers with continued use of excessive chemical fertilizers andTo produce our food and green meadows.
We have decades of abuse and mismanagement of our land had, and this with the natural changes that make the experience very important that we make changes immediately. As our water, we can also say that our earth is the supporter of all forms of life on this planet. We are on our land for our food and therefore our existence, and we must preserve for future generations.

The addition of soil amendments to improve itsthe effectiveness of traditional fertilizers, if this is your weapon of choice, including reducing the amount that must be considered over time. The enhanced overall health of your soil to improve the efficiency with which plant nutrients can be supplied by the program, add fertilizer, and reduces overall costs. It 'important to remember the title of this article. You will see much better long-term health and vitality of plants and soil, if you use the entire spectrum of changes orAir conditioner alone or in combination with organic fertilizers, such as plastic otherwise. Synthetic fertilizers and other hazardous chemicals tend to kill microbes beneficial to maintain healthy plant around the root zone, so you're trying to come in.

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