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Remineralize the Earth is a nonprofit organization assisting the worldwide movement of remineralizing soils with finely ground rock dust, sea minerals and other natural and sustainable means to increase the growth, health, and nutrient value of all plant life. <br />Adding minerals and trace elements is vital to the creation of fertile soils, healthy crops and forests, and is a key strategy to stabilize the climate.<br />http://remineralize.org<br />

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Costa Rica Agroforestry Project 2008 <br />Designed by John Todd of Ocean Arks International<br />Over 20 species of trees, intercropped to provide food (fruit and nut trees), fuel (jatropha) and income (native hardwoods) to sustain local communities<br />Remineralization significantly increased plant growth, health and carbon sequestration<br />Remineralized Jatropha produces a higher yield <br />of oil-bearing seeds<br />

3.
Symposium on Soil Ecology and Restoration<br />August 22 2011<br />Basalt Powder Restores Soil Fertility and Greatly Accelerates Tree Growth on Impoverished Tropical Soils in Panama <br />Thomas J. Goreau, Marina Goreau, Felix Lufkin,<br />Carlos A. Arango, Gabriel Despaigne-Matchett,<br />Gabriel Despaigne-Ceballos,RoqueSolis, & Joanna Campe<br />

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THE SITE: PANAMA<br />Mitigation for clearance of basalt quarry<br />Geology: Pleistocene pyroclastic ashes, volcanic tuffs, with basalt lava outcrop<br />Agricultural Soil Capacity: Highly infertile, not arable with severe nutrient limitations<br />Vegetation: Secondary pioneer scrub following deforestation for pasture<br />Precipitation: 2500 mm/yr<br />Elevation: 600 m<br />

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THE TREE: ACACIA MANGIUM<br />Planted in basalt quarry rock powder (H), local soil (L), and transition zone (M)<br />No fertilizer added<br />Nitrogen fixing tree<br />Height measured by video after 19 and 59 months<br />Soil samples analyzed<br />

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LOCAL SOILS<br />19 months<br />59 months<br />

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TRANSITION SOILS<br />19 months<br />59 months<br />

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BASALT POWDER<br />19 months<br />59 months<br />

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TREE HEIGHT VS TIME<br />

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TREE SURVIVAL VS HEIGHT<br />

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TREE HEIGHT VS SOIL<br />

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BIOMASS VS TREE HEIGHT<br />

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BIOMASS PER TREE VS SOIL<br />

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PHOSPHORUS<br />

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IRON<br />

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ZINC<br />

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MANGANESE<br />

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POTASSIUM<br />

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MAGNESIUM<br />

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CALCIUM<br />

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ORGANIC MATTER<br />

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COPPER<br />

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pH<br />

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ALUMINUM<br />

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CONCLUSIONS<br />Rock powders alone greatly increase plant biomass and survival<br />They provide a wide range of essential minerals as slow release fertilizers<br />Rock weathering by roots provides a sink of atmospheric CO2<br />The effects could be greatly increased by addition of Biochar<br />

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RECOMMENDATIONS<br />Rock powders could be widely used as natural slow release fertilizers<br />They can greatly aid restoration of forest and agricultural productivity in poor soils if matched to plant needs<br />They can contribute to removal of CO2<br />Research is needed to optimize use of various rock powders, plants, soil types, climate regimes, and management practices <br />

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NEXT STEPS<br />Bring together a group of scientists <br />Propose and initiate a large-scale research project <br />Systematically research and demonstrate the potential of remineralization combined with biochar and other natural means to:<br /><ul><li> regenerate forests

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sequester carbon

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stabilize the climate</li></li></ul><li>For more information visit:<br />http://remineralize.org<br />