>No, Chilean nitrate is a natural geological deposit, which did give Chile a
>virtual monopoly on nitrates until the Haber-Bosch process was
>developed...You can look it up in the encyclopedia under sodium nitrate, or
>under the evaporite minerals...
>
I stand corrected, the product referred to as "Chilean Nitrate" is a
natural geological depoist found along the coast of Chile. Thank you.
I quote from the "Recommendations of the Technical Committee on Chilean
Nitrate, an evaluation of its use...in organic agriculture" IFOAM 1989:
"The importance given to Chilean nitrate over other nitrate fertilizers
must be seen from a psychological point of view, as Chilean nitrate has a
false reputaion of being less harmful to soil life and being a more
balanced form of fertilizer tha t synthesized nitrogen fertilizers since is
it extracted from natural deposits...
However, Chilean nitrate remains a feritlizer with high concentration of
nitrogen and 100% water solubility. In this respect is does not
differentiate itself from other mineral nitrogen fertilizers. It may even
have additional detrimental effects.
Therefore, the IFOAM Technical Committee recommeds that the use of Chilean
nitrate should not be allowed in any standard of orgnaic farming..."
Ronald Nigh
Dana, A.C.
Mexico, D.F. & San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas
Tel. y FAX 525-666-73-66 (DF)
529-678-72-15 (Chiapas)
danamex@mail.internet.com.mx
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