Agripower silica fertiliser business to boost crop nutrient uptake

A novel fertiliser may boost nutrient uptake in a range of crops while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Full details here.

A Queensland fertiliser operation is set to reshape agricultural production in Australia and around the world, increasing the uptake of essential minerals while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Privately owned Agripower Australian Limited will ramp up production of its novel silica fertiliser to cope with expected massive global demand for the product, creating 11,500 jobs in the Townsville region and adding $3.2 billion to the northern Queensland economy.

Agripower's silica mine near Greenvale in northern Queensland. Picture: Supplied

Agripower managing director Peter Prentice said the company’s trademark Agrisilica product was the world’s first all natural silicon fertiliser with a high level of natural plant available silicon.

Mr Prentice said Agrisilica increased the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in plants and increased the quality and nutritional value in a range of crops.

“But one of the benefits is its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

“Silica increases photosynthesis in plants.

“It takes in more carbon dioxide and stores carbon in the plant.”

Mr Prentice said, with silica fertiliser also allowing plants to take up more nitrogen, less was available for the creation of nitrous oxide, the most potent of greenhouse gases.

Agripower owns the largest amorphous silica mine in the world, with a deposit of the chalklike mineral estimated at two billion tonnes 28km north of the Greenvale township.

“Our deposit is 86 per cent of the world’s amorphous silica,” Mr Prentice said.

“There is amorphous silica in most countries of the world but the deposits are very small.

“The US has three or four deposits but none are greater than 1.5 million tonnes.”

Agripower opened a 250,000-tonne commercial fertiliser manufacturing plant at Charters Towers last August and has plans to double that in size, with construction work beginning in the next three to four months.

Mr Prentice said the company planned to rebuild a rail link from Townsville to Greenvale and construct another manufacturing plant at the port capable of annually producing 10 million tonnes of silica fertiliser for export.

That was not expected to be completed until about early 2025.

Agripower has been dealing with major fertiliser companies around the world about blending Agrisilica with other fertilisers to give farmers more efficient nutrient uptake in their crops.

Grain Growers Limited chairman Brett Hosking said if the product improved carbon sequestration and improved fertiliser use efficiency that was “going to be good for farmers”.

“The real balance is whether it comes in at the right price that farmers will adopt it and it fits in with modern farming practices,” Mr Hosking said.