InPlanet uses rock powder coming from mining residue to fertilize tropical soils and permanently
remove carbon from the atmosphere. This is a method called Enhanced Rock Weathering, where
CO2 is transformed into bicarbonates by the dissolution of rock powder particles. The carbon is not captured in the soil, but transported via groundwaters and rivers towards the oceans, where they benefit ocean alkalinity and remain stable for thousands of years. This makes Enhanced Rock
Weathering a nature-based carbon removal solution with the highest level of permanence.
Besides, the rock powder serves as a natural enhancer for the agricultural soils where it is spread.
The minerals in the rock increase pH levels and microbiological activity, whereby they restore soils
and increase crop health. The co-benefits of Enhanced Rock Weathering lie in its capacity to
reduce chemical fertilizer use and improve agricultural yields, thereby benefiting the economic
situation of farmers and their communities. The use of residual rock powder from existing mines
stimulates a market for locally produced natural fertilizer, while its application on agricultural lands
supports sustainable farming practices.
InPlanet focuses its operations on the tropics, where the warm and moist climate accelerates
weathering and the heavily degraded soils benefit greatly from the minerals in the rock powder. They have selected Brazil as their entry market because of its great ERW potential due to the huge
availability of arable land with significant mining activity.