Why Rock-Dust? - The Rock-Dust Blog

For years scientists have been warning of an apocalyptic future facing the world.

With the prospect of an earth made infertile from over-production and mass reliance on chemicals, coupled with an atmosphere polluted by greenhouse gases there seems little to celebrate.

But belief is growing that an answer to some of the earth's problems are not only at hand, but under our feet.

Rock dust is an organic fertiliser consisting of crushed basalt, a volcanic rock, which contains minerals and trace elements.

Rock dust is added to soil to improve fertility and has been tested since 1993 at the Sustainable Ecological Earth Regeneration Centre (SEER Centre) in Straloch, near Pitlochry, in Perth and Kinross, Scotland.

SEER's research claims that the benefits of adding Rock dust to soil include increased moisture-holding properties in the soil, improved cation exchange capacity and better soil structure and drainage.

Rock dust also provides calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, plus over 70 minerals, trace elements and micronutrients. By replacing these leached minerals it is claimed that soil health is increased and that this produces healthier plants.

Rock dust is just what you think, rock, ground into a fine powder (technically, smaller than #200 mesh). When added to the soil it causes regeneration, so the soil regains its optimal healthy state.

Gardeners have described it as “magical,” but the logic behind this ancient fertilizer is quite simple.

Rock dust mimics the slow process of the Earth’s own ecosystem to replenish soils and restore the biosphere.

During various Ice Ages over the past two million years, slow-moving, two-kilometre-thick glaciers pulverized, ground up and transported rocks over great distances.

These ground rocks, or rock dust, re-mineralize the earth and act as a host to micro-organisms that enrich our soil.