Rocks Dust: A Silent Revolution for Soil Nutrition and Climate Protection

Addressing climate change and food security, this article evaluates ground silicate rocks (remineralizers) as tools for atmospheric CO2 capture and food and nutrition security. The experiments were conducted under controlled conditions using leaching columns (to quantify the leached carbon) and pots (to evaluate the growth and nutrition of three agricultural crops). Five rock types (basalt, kamafugite, chlorite-muscovite calc-schist, hydrothermalized calc-silicate, and biotite-actinolite schist) were applied to a Red Oxisol (S) at 20 t ha⁻¹, with and without organic matter (OM) at 40 t ha⁻¹. The study involved 84 experimental units, including S, S+R, S+OM, S+R+OM, and S, S+OM and NPK controls. Results showed that rock-OM mixtures significantly improved soil pH and electrical conductivity, enhancing the growth and nutritional content of three agricultural crops (beans, arugula, and carrots) compared to controls. Nutrient dynamics varied across leached liquids and in the soils of the columns and pots. While OM increased leached carbon, the direct influence of silicate rocks on CO2 capture was more pronounced in S+R treatments. The findings underscore the vital role of local, innovative strategies in providing sustainable solutions to global challenges.