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Carbonatites As Rock Fertilizers: A Review, James Mc Jones, Frédérique C. Guinel, Pedro M. Antunes

Biology Faculty Publications

Rock fertilizers are geological resources used in agriculture for their nutrient content, but slow weathering rates hinder their effectiveness. Carbonatites are igneous rocks made mostly of carbonate minerals with a relatively high weathering rate and often containing nutrient-bearing accessory minerals (e.g., apatite and biotite). Despite evidence supporting their potential as rock fertilizers, a comprehensive review of such data is missing in the literature. Furthermore, when studies on agricultural uses of carbonatites exist, they typically center on applied research aspects (i.e., “does it work?”) rather than on basic research aspects (i.e., “how does it work?”). Here we evaluate the applicability of …