Wollastonite Applications

PHOSPHORUS ADSORPTION

 

The silicates in wollastonite create unique conditions in the soil that promote the adsorption of phosphates in a form that can prevent run-off while still maintaining higher levels of plant availability. Canadian Wollastonite’s products are currently being used in nutrient management trials researching phosphorus management practices for both greenhouse operations and container nurseries. Go to the Research page to find papers describing wollastonite’s effectiveness in phosphate removal from wastewater treatment plants, constructed wetlands, aquaculture systems, and fish and swimming ponds.

Below are before and after photos of a phosphorus sequestration in open water trail. After only 5 days, a significant reduction in algae is evident, supporting wollastonite’s effectiveness at mitigating algal blooms induced by fertilizer runoff.

 

HEAVY METAL REMEDIATION

 

Research has shown that wollastonite binds heavy metals, and it has been used to treat both municipal wastewater and in mining site reclamation projects.

Wollastonite used in capturing phosphorus in human and animal treatment plants can be recycled back onto farms as a pH balancer rich in calcium and adsorbed phosphorous. Agricultural waste management costs are reduced by the low cost per ton, and the fact that the resulting product has economic value.

 

RESTORATION OF FORESTS DAMAGED BY ACID RAIN

 

The weathering process of wollastonite supplies calcium to both plants and to the soil system. In the soil, calcium combines with carbonic acid to create calcium carbonates, increasing carbon storage in the soil.

Multiple projects are underway evaluating wollastonite as a means of reversing declines in Sugar Maple stands in Ontario and Quebec. Aerial seeding via helicopter is used to disperse the wollastonite throughout forests that have experienced significant calcium leeching.

 

 

Wollastonite’s various properties make it a beneficial additive to ground material in the production of livestock with the following effects.

Many people are familiar with diatomaceous earth (DE) – the silicon-rich shell fragments of ancient marine life – and its pest control properties. Wollastonite has a similar effect: its needle-like calcium silicate crystals scratch and dessicate the skin and exoskeleton of insects and insect larvae. The advantage of wollastonite is that unlike DE which loses its “edge” when it gets wet, wollastonite retains its beneficial properties even in moist environments like soil, manure, bedding, and inside the digestive system.

 

Cattle (Dairy and Beef)

 

Spread on floors, alleys, walkways, or added to stall bedding, wollastonite improves traction while balancing manure pH, potentially reducing odours and disease-causing bacteria. Wollastonite crystals can also dessicate fly larva, leading to reduced fly populations. Wollastonite will add calcium, magnesium, and silicon to the manure and adsorb phosphorus, increasing the fertilizer value of the manure or compost applied to fields.

 

Poultry

 

Poultry producers are using wollastonite added to the bedding, or between flocks, as part of their disinfection and insect/mite control protocol. Growers report that chickens who ingest wollastonite appear to be in better overall health. Controlled feeding trials are currently underway in layers, broilers, and turkeys. Wollastonite will add calcium, magnesium, and silicon to the manure and adsorb phosphorus, increasing the fertilizer value of the manure or compost applied to fields.

 

Swine

 

Pork producers are experimenting with wollastonite to improve traction on slatted floors. In the manure pit, calcium silicate helps control odours, stabilize nutrients, adsorb phosphorus, and balance pH, creating a higher-value, lower-risk fertilizer for field application.

 

Sheep

 

When added to bedding, wollastonite can help control external and internal parasites at various stages in their life cycles. Sheep farmers are beginning to experiment with wollastonite as a feed additive to aid in the control of internal parasites. Wollastonite will add calcium, magnesium, and silicon to the manure and adsorb phosphorus, increasing the fertilizer value of the manure or compost applied to fields.