Graphite Mine Tailings: The Future of Agriculture
Did you have graphite mine tailings on your Bingo card, for saving agriculture?
Every year hundreds of millions of people, across the globe, go hungry. That’s 1 in 11 people, that do not eat regularly, and it includes children. The top 3 crops grown around the world are respectively, rice, wheat, and potatoes. However, up to as much as 40% of those crops are lost every year, due to disease and pests.
Is it possibel to bridge that gap?
What if, instead of losing 40% of our global food source, that 40% went to feeding those 1 in 11 people not eating regularly? What if we could increase plant production? Thus, creating even more food to feed the hungry. Those hungry children… It would literally be life-changing for hundreds of millions of people.
So, how do we accomplish that? Let’s start with a natural resource that is only available from one location in the United States. It lies deep in the heart of Texas, in a small town called Burnet. The natural resource is graphite.
Graphite Mine Tailings
Graphite is formed by sediments containing carbonaceous material, metamorphosizing. It is a crystalline allotrope form of carbon and consists of hundreds of stacked layers of graphene. Naturally occurring, graphite is considered the most stable form of carbon, under standard conditions.
Graphite is mined from the earth and used across the world for a wide variety of applications. Everything from refractories, lithium-ion batteries, foundries, lubricants, diamonds, and much more.
What Are Mine Tailings?
When graphite is mined it leaves behind smaller pieces of graphite that shake loose as the larger portions are removed. This leftover graphite is known as mine “tailings” and is considered waste to the mine.
However, considered unrecoverable and uneconomic by some, our findings differ greatly. We submit that these graphite mine tailings can change the landscape of agriculture as we know it, ending hunger across the globe.
Graphene
What is Graphene?
Graphene, which makes up graphite, is hundreds of times stronger than steel while being the smallest material known to man.
When graphene is combined with gases it can be used in a variety of applications. Applications like water treatment and ultrafiltration, contaminant removal, pesticides and insecticide quantitation, and smart packaging. This list also includes agriculture and the benefits happening in this sector have the potential to advance our agricultural efforts across the world, by leaps and bounds.
Independent studies show graphene to stimulate plant growth, act as an antifungal and antibacterial agent, enhance smart release in fertilizers, and control disease by inhibiting undesirable soil microorganisms. All of this, while increasing ion concentration of soil colloids. Furthermore, in situations of excessive rain, graphene has shown to reduce the loss of ammonium nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
What is Graphene Oxide (GO)?
Identified as far back as 1859, graphene oxide (GO) is the oxidized form of graphene. When GO is applied correctly, it has shown to reduce microbial abondance and bacteria in soil by inhibiting mycelial growth. Additionally, it improves the plant’s nutrient uptake and reduces nutrient loss. Thus, promoting better plant growth.
Graphene oxide retains micronutrients far longer than traditional fertilizing methods. GO allows the fertilizer to better respond to the plant’s needs. Thus, eliminating over-fertilization. Resulting in higher germination, stimulated growth, and higher yields. All while better controlling disease and pests. This precision in nutrient delivery is changing the game in agriculture.
Independent Testing
Independent testing of the use of graphene, has shown staggering results, in the world’s top 3 crops. When applied as a soil conditioner, with fertilizer, plant growth is promoted, resulting in greater plant height, root length, and the absorption of nutrients. Its use lowers the need for conventional pesticides on crops. All these benefits are ground-breaking for the agricultural landscape of our planet.
A summary of the top 3 global crops using graphene, netted the following results:
- Rice
- Improved Nitrogen uptake
- Improved Nitrogen management
- Reduced sheath blight
- Reduced methane production and emissions
- Increased bactericidal effects, up to 94.48%
- Wheat
- Inhibits mycelial growth of fungal pathogen, Bipolaris Sorokiniana
- Inhibits spore germination of fungal pathogen, Bipolaris Sorokiniana
- Potatoes
- Reduces potato wilt
Additional independent testing has shown that other species of plants also benefit from using graphene in the growth process. Again, with staggering results. Some examples include:
- Bulb Flowers
- Increased growth
- Increased root length
- Increased leaf area
- Increased number of leaves
- Increased buds and flowers
- Coriander Seeds
- Increased growth rate
- Corn
- Increased plant height
- Garlic Plants
- Increased growth rate
- Lettuce
- Reduced nitrate leaching
- Pepper Seedlings
- Increased plant height
- Increased root length
- Radishes
- Increased growth
- Roses
- Longer pot-life
- Larger diameter flowers
- Better relationship with water
- Tomato Seeds
- Accelerated germination
- Longer roots
Articles on Mine Tailings
Full Circle
So, now we will circle back around to the small Texas town called Burnet. The one that is the only US location with graphite mine tailings. You remember, the “waste” that is poised to change global agriculture as we know it.
Graphite mine tailings are perfect for the agricultural applications discussed. Recycling this mine waste is both practical and beneficial. Not to mention the broader benefits for our global food supply.
Now you know, graphite mine tailings might just be the new superhero in the room. Around here, we just call them “tailings”. We’d love to talk to you more about them.
For more information on our Agri Minerals Graphite Sand (AMGS) and sales, contact us.