Frequently Asked Questions
About AZOMITE Mineral Products
What is AZOMITE?
AZOMITE is a natural mineral substance which is mined directly from its Utah desert source. OMRI-Listed for organic production, AZOMITE can be used as an agricultural fertilizer and/or soil amendment product, It is easy and safe to use and good for the environment.
Many nutrient elements have been depleted from soils worldwide due to weathering, leaching, and depletion from decades of continuous agricultural production and AZOMITE® been reported to replenish these nutrients. Technically, AZOMITE is a highly mineralized complex silica ore (Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate or HSCAS), mined in Utah from an ancient deposit left by a volcanic eruption that filled a small seabed an estimated 30 million years ago.
Where does AZOMITE come from?
AZOMITE is mined from an ancient volcanic ash deposit in central Utah, USA. Scientists believe that the unique chemical make-up of AZOMITE was created when an ancient volcano erupted and the ash settled into a seabed.
The combination of seawater, fed by hundreds of rivers rich in minerals, and the rare and abundant minerals present in volcanic ash created the AZOMITE mineral composition unique to its deposit. Today, this geologic characteristic is an outcropping known as a “hogback”. The minerals are gathered and packaged by AZOMITE Mineral Products, Inc. for distribution all over the world.
What effect does AZOMITE have on plants?
According to research and customer reports, plants grown with AZOMITE produce more and larger fruits and vegetables per plant that are better tasting — with evidence of improved nutritional benefits. AZOMITE has shown these positive results in a wide variety of plants in both field and laboratory.
What does the name AZOMITE mean?
AZOMITE (pronounced ā-zō-mite) is an acronym created and registered as a trademark by its founder, Rollin Anderson, for the”A to Z Of Minerals Including Trace Elements”.
What AZOMITE Mineral Products are available?
AZOMITE is available in five forms including UltraFine, Micronized, Field Grade, Pelletized, and Granulated.
UltraFine is AZOMITE powder is 90% passing a 450 mesh screen and is the finest available AZOMITE grade. It is perfect for injecting into trickle or drip irrigation systems, can be added to a spray tank, or mixed in a watering can for Home Lawn & Garden use.
Micronized AZOMITE powder is 90% passing a 200 mesh screen and can be mixed with potting soil, compost, or spread by hand in the garden or other agricultural production areas — or used in hydroponic or liquid application systems where strong agitation and proper filter, emitter, and/or nozzle sizes are in place to allow the non-soluble particles to flow through. It is rather dusty to handle.
Field Grade AZOMITE appears as coarse, irregularly sized particles. It can be applied with a spreader, creating a spread pattern that is less than that of granular or pelleted due to the inconsistent particle size. It is less dusty to handle than Micronized.
Granular AZOMITE is produced by forming the Micronized particles into granules with the addition of a binder material, which also contains beneficial soil and plant nutrients. Granular AZOMITE takes several days to break down in the soil once it is applied and exposed to irrigation or rainfall.
Pelletized AZOMITE is produced from Micronized powder using a beneficial binder and a pellet extruder and breaks down into fine powder immediately when in contact with water, rain or irrigation.
Will AZOMITE work on any soil?
AZOMITE Mineral Products has documented numerous University, fertilizer company, AZOMITE Distributor, and farmer field test research results. These show positive results on a variety of soils and plants all over the world. The pH of AZOMITE itself is alkaline, however adding AZOMITE does not seem to raise the pH of the soil or soil-water, so it can be used on any pH soil or soil type.
How is AZOMITE applied to the soil?
Micronized AZOMITE is a fine powder (around minus 200 mesh) and since it is a dusty product, must be applied by machinery that applies products like dry lime, hand applied, or mixed with compost or other similar soil treatments for application.
AZOMITE Field Grade is moderately dusty and is available for easy soil application in a broadcast or drop spreader, or by hand, although the spread pattern will not be as even as that with granular or pelleted due to the inconsistent particle size in the Field Grade product. Granular AZOMITE can be applied by hand, or with spinner, tail-wager, or drop spreaders. Granular AZOMITE takes several days to break down in the soil once it is applied and exposed to irrigation or rainfall. Pelletized AZOMITE can be applied by hand, or with spinner, tail-wager, or drop spreaders, and breaks down into fine powder immediately when in contact with water, rain or irrigation.
What types of plants is AZOMITE effective on?
AZOMITE tests have reported positive results in many plant species including: wine grapes, table grapes, sugarcane, potatoes, rice, watermelon, tomatoes, melons, cantaloupes, onion, garlic, papaya, lemons, oranges, cocoa, coffee, mango, oaks, pines, peaches, chilies, berries, eggplant, tobacco, ornamentals, wheat, corn and many others. AZOMITE is uniquely capable of nourishing most plant life as it provides nutrients that the native soil is often lacking.
Aren't all the minerals necessary for plant growth already in the soil?
The world’s cropland has been under cultivation for many decades and each crop cycle removes trace minerals from the soil or the elements are lost through erosion and pesticide use. Since most fertilizer programs only replace Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), crops become deficient when the soil has been depleted of its trace elements.
How is AZOMITE different from fertilizer?
Most conventional fertilizers contain mainly Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), which are called macronutrients. Plants require macronutrients in large amounts. NPK are only three of the essential nutrients required by plants. When choosing a fertility program, growers often neglect trace minerals and focus primarily on NPK. For plants to complete their life cycle and produce at full potential, a wide range of trace minerals is necessary. AZOMITE is a naturally-occurring source for nutrients that does not harm the environment and is OMRI-Listed for use in organic production.
What is the Law of the Minimum?
The “father of fertilizer”, Justus von Liebig, developed the “Law of the Minimum” which is important in understanding what AZOMITE does. The Law states that plant growth is determined by the scarcest “limiting” nutrient; if even one of the many required nutrients is deficient, the plant will not grow and produce at its optimum. Conventional fertilizer programs focus on the macronutrients like Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). However, if one of the many essential trace elements is deficient in the soil, the plant will not perform at its optimum, affecting yield and immune function.
If I use AZOMITE, can other fertilizers be reduced?
AZOMITE supplies secondary elements (Ca and Mg) and Potassium (K), and does not provide Nitrogen (N) or Phosphorus (P), therefore farmers should not reduce any part of their fertility program that provides N or P. AZOMITE use has shown increased yields and improved soil and plant performance when added to a complete fertility program. Most farmers report a more rapid rate of growth, increased yields and quality within one harvest.
Can too much AZOMITE be toxic?
No. AZOMITE is 100% naturally-derived and completely free from fillers. It is not chemically altered and its natural, nontoxic composition will not harm plants or the environment.
Is AZOMITE organic?
AZOMITE Micronized Trace Minerals, AZOMITE Granulated Trace Mineral and AZOMITE Micronized Feed Ingredient are listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organic production. Many fertilizers receive chemical alterations or go through an intensive manufacturing process. AZOMITE is simply mined, crushed and sold and is 100% natural in the most basic sense. Chemically, the term “organic” means that the minerals are bound to a carbon atom. As the minerals in AZOMITE are oxides, not bound to carbon, they are technically considered “inorganic”.
Is AZOMITE a bentonite?
No, Bentonite is an absorbent aluminum phyllosilicate. AZOMITE® is a Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS), and does not swell.
Is AZOMITE a rock dust?
Yes, but it is very different from the few glacial rock dust products on the market. AZOMITE is a mineralized, compacted volcanic ash in origin, which makes it volcanic rather than glacial.
Does AZOMITE contain heavy metals?
Far less than those found in a typical soil sample. Chemically, AZOMITE is a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), which carries a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) classification. In addition AZOMITE is listed for certified organic agriculture use by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). AZOMITE is a natural product from the Earth, which has not been chemically altered and cannot harm the environment.
Is AZOMITE radioactive?
No. AZOMITE is not radioactive and does not have the capacity to emit alpha particles, which can harm humans or animals. The findings of a gross alpha/beta test report prepared by the ALS Environmental Laboratory Group of Fort Collins, Colorado, reveal that the alpha radiation values present in AZOMITE are lower than those from a sample taken from the ALS parking lot. Beta emission is actually consistent with the potassium in AZOMITE. AZOMITE’s alpha number, averaged from 6 samples, gave a value of 5.8 pCi/g. A value greater than 20 pCi/g is required to even warrant documentation.
What is the Cation Exchange Capacity of AZOMITE?
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) refers to the capacity of exchange between a cation (a positively charged ion) in solution, in the soil, and another cation on the surface of any negatively charged material such as AZOMITE. CEC is a measure of soil fertility, nutrient retention capacity and the capacity to protect groundwater from cation contamination. AZOMITE’s typical CEC range is 25 – 30 meq/100 g.
Is AZOMITE available for human consumption?
We do not market AZOMITE for human consumption.
Want to learn how AZOMITE remineralization can dramatically improve your soil, gardens, flowers and crops? Contact us now.