[Terrapreta] Coal as a soil additive

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Mark and AK,

Doesn't coal contain levels high of mercury that are released to the environment (unacceptable) when burned in a coal fired power plant?  Do you think organic growers would tolerate putting fossil fuel coal on their fields of crops?  They will not even allow fertilizers made from fossil carbon sources.  Coal is fossil carbon.  Secondly, one could never remove CO2 from the atmosphere by burying coal.  Making biochar (charcoal-from-biomass), through pyrolysis of biomass, avoids the mercury contamination, can be accepted by organic growers as an all-natural amendment, and will remove CO2 from the atmosphere.  When it is used for charcoal-in-soil, it will sequester that carbon for many millennia, at least.

Like it or not, I think charcoal-from-biomass and charcoal-in-soil (for BOTH agricultural improvement AND climate remediation purposes) is the topic and the thrust of "Terra Preta Nova".  Fossil carbon coal is not an acceptable alternative to do either, I do not think.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark Ludlow<mailto:mark at ludlow.com> 
  To: 'Kevin Chisholm'<mailto:kchisholm at ca.inter.net> ; 'Allan K Mitchell'<mailto:akrlmitchell at iinet.net.au> 
  Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 11:43 AM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Coal as a soil additive


  AK,

  Crushed anthracite is used extensively in water treatment. It's about 90%
  pure carbon. It's not only a good filter substrate but it assists in the
  removal of some of the same constituents that activated carbon does, however
  hot as efficiently.

  At least it wouldn't damage your soil...

  Mark

  -----Original Message-----
  From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org>
  [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Chisholm
  Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 8:47 AM
  To: Allan K Mitchell
  Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Coal as a soil additive

  Dear AK

  Allan K Mitchell wrote:
  >
  > I'm a newby on this list and I an certainly interested in the use of 
  > charcoal to improve soil fertility.
  >
  > My question is - can coal be used in the same way as charcoal - it has 
  > not been heated but must therefore contain more of the original plant 
  > materials. Assuming the physical structure of charcoal is not a 
  > critical requirement then coal must have many of the same chemical 
  > characteristics. If can be supplied in a particle size to suit could 
  > it be used in the same way you use charcoal. ??
  >

  Given that charcoal is assumed to enhance plant growth because of 
  increases Cation Exchange Capacity, in connection with its very large 
  internal surface area, and because the micropores of the char seem to 
  act as "bug motels", the coal probably would not work. However, "coke 
  fines" might be worth pursuing, in that they are the coal equivalent of 
  charcoal from wood. Note however, that coke does not have nearly as much 
  surface area per gram as does wood char, and I don't know if it has a 
  Cation Exchange benefit.

  The best thing to do is to try something! In a garden, put some coal, 
  coke fines, and charcoal in the soil, and see what happens.

  Best wishes,

  kevin
  >
  > Akrl
  >
  > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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