What can binders do for the soil?

They can even add micro-nutrients to the soil. Some industries, such as the steel industry, may require that the binder be able to withstand high amounts of heat, in order to hold up in rotary kilns or other thermal processing equipment.

Why do you need a binder for agglomeration?

There are three main reasons for using a binder in the agglomeration process: Achieving the required dry crush strength is necessary to ensure the pellet is durable enough to survive all handling points prior to and during end product use.

Can you use molasses as a fertilizer binder?

The same holds true for a cement binder; the cement may work well during the agglomeration process and achieve desired strength characteristics, but would not break down, and would leave cement in soil. Molasses, starches, and other organic binders, however, not only function well as binders for fertilizer products, but also break down quickly.

Is coal tar a good fertilizer binder?

One example of how industry and end use can narrow down the choices quickly is the fertilizer industry. Though coal tar might function as a perfect binder for other industries, coal tar contains toxins that could be passed to the soil and plants if used as a fertilizer binder, and therefore would be unacceptable to use.