|
Scientists at Carlsberg found that adding 25 tonnes of glacial rock flour per hectare, increased crop yield on barley fields in Denmark by 30% for two consecutive years. Similarly, researchers from the University of Ghana, managed to increase maize yields by 30% using glacial rock flour to offset the impact of rain and heat on poor farmland. Larger-scale field tests are planned in years to come in Denmark and Ghana to assess whether it is economically viable to ship the material to farmers around the world. Testing on other soil types in Australia, France, Italy and the United States is set to begin next year. The idea of applying silt to farmland is not new and several studies have shown that by-products from mines or quarries can improve soil quality. But the method has gained interest due to the added benefit of absorbing CO2. When the silt dissolves in rainwater it releases its nutrients and undergoes a chemical reaction that locks in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
| 
