I am interested to receive more detail information about the both basalt and diatoms part of your project because of my scientific and practical interests are partly related to chemical properties of surfaces both basaltic rocks and basaltic glasses, also my researches were focused to the inorganic composite between basaltic fillers and “soil silicates” (specific type of geopolymers) which can be used for depo water .
Dear Mr. Tsybulya,
basic igneous rocks such as diabase and basalt are frequently used in truck farming and horticultural shops and companies to improve the soil quality. There a different products sold for this purpose in Germany. It is fine-grained rock flour which occurs as a byproduct during crushing in quarries.
H.G.Dill
Dear Mr. Dill,
Thank you for prompt answer. “Basaltic flour” as product for improvement of soil quality usually has average size of particles not lower than 30-60 µm, and their chemical activity of such aggregates are not high. So as far as I know the best results in agricultural application of basaltic powders were reached for raw materials with quite higher containment of glassy phase, as tuff for instance. Respectively what do you think about the idea to spent a little bit additional energy in order to transform basaltic rocks into natural glassy product with the size of particles 1-5 µm or even nano-sized? Such product will be the best for transfer of useful minerals and microelements from basaltic particles to the soil and as a result of high surface energy will stimulate a lot of chemical and bio-chemical processes in the soils
Kind regards
Y.L. Tsybulya
Dear Mr. Tsybula,
I think for melioration purposes too fine-grained Ca-Mg-bearing mineral matter is not looked for. The material should release its chemicals steadily and not be at risk to be washed out from the horizon where it is of significance for plant nutrition and contribute at deeper parts of the pedon cause encrustations and a deterioration of the soil porosity. I agree with you that hyalo-basalt are more reactive due to the vitreous material. I must confess I have no data where holocrystalline basalts are compared with hyaloclastic ones. I can imagine another source in terms of glassy material could be from molten basalts used to create rock wool.
Kind regards
H.G.Dill
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