Production of a soil nutrient in a minimal liquid environment

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A FERTILIZER FROM LEONARDITE ORE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) GRINDING THE ORE SUBSTANTIALLY TO REDUCE PARTICLE SIZE, (B) ADJUSTING THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE ORE OF REDUCED PARTICLE SIZE TO A RELATIVELY DRY STATE OF THE ORDER OF ABOUT 20 TO 60 PERCENT OF THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE SOLIDS, (C) SCRUBBING THE ORE WITH ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID TO PRODUCE ACIDS INCLUDING HUMIC ACID AND FULVIC ACID WHILE MAINTAINING SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE, AND (D) REACTING SAID ACIDS WITH AMMONIA IN SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE TO FORM AMMONIUM HUMATE AND AMMONIUM FULVATE WHILE AGGLOMERATING THE SAME INTO PELLETS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PRODUCING A FERTILIZER FROM LEONARDITE ORE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) GRINDING THE ORE SUBSTANTIALLY TO REDUCE PARTICLE SIZE, (B) ADJUSTING THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE ORE OF REDUCED PARTICLE SIZE TO A RELATIVELY DRY STATE OF THE ORDER OF ABOUT 20 TO 60 PERCENT OF THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE SOLIDS, (C) SCRUBBING THE ORE WITH ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID TO PRODUCE ACIDS INCLUDING HUMIC ACID AND FULVIC ACID WHILE MAINTAINING SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE, AND (D) REACTING SAID ACIDS WITH AMMONIA IN SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE TO FORM AMMONIUM HUMATE AND AMMONIUM FULVATE WHILE AGGLOMERATING THE SAME INTO PELLETS.

Claim 3

A SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A FERTILIZER FROM LEONARDITE ORE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A GRINDER FOR REDUCING THE PARTICLE SIZE OF THE ORE FOR SUBSEQUENT REACTION OF CONSTITUENTS THEREIN, (B) A SEPARATOR FLOW-CONNECTED TO SAID GRINDER HAVING A LIQUID BODY THEREIN TO REMOVE NON-LEONARDITE CONSTITUENTS, (C) A FILTER FOR REDUCING THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE LEONARDITE CONSTITUENTS ISSUING FROM THE SEPARATOR TO THE RELATIVELY DRY STATE OF ABOUT 20 TO 60 PERCENT OF THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE SOLIDS, (D) A SCRUBBER FOR RECEIVING THE SOLIDS FROM SAID FILTER AND HAVING A SOURCE OF ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID FOR TREATMENT OF SAID SOLIDS WHILE MAINTAINING SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE, (E) A REACTOR FOR RECEIVING THE OUTPUT FROM SAID SCRUBBER AND HAVING A SOURCE OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA AND A HEAT EXCHANGER FOR AMMONIATING SAID SOLIDS IN SAID DRY STATE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE AT A LEVEL NOT TO EXCEED 90*C., AND (F) MEANS FOR DRYING THE AMMONIATED SOLIDS.

Claim 4

A SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A FERTILIZER FROM LEONARDITE ORE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A GRINDER FOR REDUCING THE PARTICLE SIZE OF THE ORE FOR SUBSEQUENT REACTION OF CONSTITUENTS THEREIN, (B) A SEPARATOR FLOW-CONNECTED TO SAID GRINDER HAVING A LIQUID BODY THEREIN TO REMOVE NON-LEONARDITE CONSTITUENTS, (C) A FILTER FOR REDUCING THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE LEONARDITE CONSTITUENTS ISSUING FROM THE SEPARATOR TO THE RELATIVELY DRY STATE OF ABOUT 20 TO 60 PERCENT OF THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE SOLIDS, (D) A SCRUBBER FOR RECEIVING THE SOLIDS FROM SAID FILTER AND HAVING A SOURCE OF ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID FOR TREATMENT OF SAID SOLIDS WHILE MAINTAINING SAID RELATIVELY DRY STATE, (E) A REACTOR FOR RECEIVING THE OUTPUT FROM SAID SCRUBBER AND HAVING A SOURCE OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA AND A HEAT EXCHANGER FOR AMMONIATING SAID SOLIDS IN SAID DRY STATE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE AT A LEVEL NOT TO EXCEED 90*C., AND (F) MEANS FOR DRYING THE AMMONIATED SOLIDS.