UMD to Study Viability of an Emerging Carbon Credit Market in Basalt Dust to Treat Farm Soil
Researchers n ENST and the University of Maryland Extension are exploring whether crushed rock basalt is a viable alternative to limestone being spread on farm fields to reduce acidity.
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Maryland farmers currently dig deep—in their pockets—for limestone they spread on their fields to reduce soil acidity and help crops thrive. But crushed basalt rock that results from industrial processes might also be able to do the same job for free instead. And if it works, basalt won’t just improve soil pH, it would help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide while reversing the harmful ecological effects of ocean acidification.
Now, University of Maryland environmental science and technology Professor Ray Weil, Lecturer Eni Baballari, and University of Maryland Extension Agent Mark Townsend are working with a Frederick, Md., farmer to test that big “if.”
Already, large corporations are betting on basalt to offset their carbon emissions with carbon credits, earned by paying to supply farms with crushed basalt rock or basalt dust. In Maryland, there is a ready supply of fine basalt dust because it is a byproduct of gravel and roof shingle manufacturing. But currently, there is no solid proof it works to raise soil pH or capture carbon. Plus, farmers need to know if its use has any downsides—could basalt rock somehow reduce yields or even contaminate soil?
