Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of coating fertilizer particles with a coating, the method comprising providing fertilizer particles in a coating unit, one or more steps of applying a coating layer by applying one or more coating components to the fertilizer particles in the coating unit, and at least, partially curing or hardening the coating layer, wherein said curing or hardening involves a chemical reaction of said one or more coating components, discharging the coated fertilizer particles from the coating unit, optionally after a final cure or hardening step, wherein the coating unit comprises a stationary frame and at least two movable elements.

Abstract: Compositions including a core particle including at least one fertilizer nutrient and a shell substantially covering the core particle, wherein the shell includes at least one polymer layer or wax layer and one or more species of microbes (such as a population of cells from at least one species of microbes) are provided. In some embodiments, at least one of the polymer layer and/or the wax layer includes the one or more species of microbes. In other examples, the one or more species of microbes are included between layers, for example, between two polymer layers, between two wax layers, or between a polymer layer and a wax layer. Methods of preparing the compositions are also provided. Methods of using the disclosed compositions that include contacting soil, plants, plant parts, or seeds with the composition are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of coating fertilizer particles with a coating, the method comprising providing fertilizer particles in a coating unit, one or more steps of applying a coating layer by applying one or more coating components to the fertilizer particles in the coating unit, and at least, partially curing or hardening the coating layer, wherein said curing or hardening involves a chemical reaction of said one or more coating components, discharging the coated fertilizer particles from the coating unit, optionally after a final cure or hardening step, wherein the coating unit comprises a stationary frame and at least two movable elements.

Abstract: Compositions including a core particle including at least one fertilizer nutrient and a shell substantially covering the core particle, wherein the shell includes at least one polymer layer or wax layer and one or more species of microbes (such as a population of cells from at least one species of microbes) are provided. In some embodiments, at least one of the polymer layer and/or the wax layer includes the one or more species of microbes. In other examples, the one or more species of microbes are included between layers, for example, between two polymer layers, between two wax layers, or between a polymer layer and a wax layer. Methods of preparing the compositions are also provided. Methods of using the disclosed compositions that include contacting soil, plants, plant parts, or seeds with the composition are provided.

Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: The present invention includes a partially continuous countercurrent process for converting gypsum, by reaction with ammonium carbonate, to products of ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate by introducing the reactants into reactors, mixing the reactants for a predetermined amount of time, employing a novel combination of countercurrent flows coupled with the reactors operated in a batch manner with process recycle of liquids, removing materials from the reactor and separating solids from solutions wherein no reactants are added during the removal process and thus the reactants have sufficient time to react and ensure the desired degree of reaction, yield and purity of product calcium carbonate and ammonium sulfate while minimizing the reaction time.

Abstract: The present invention includes a partially continuous countercurrent process for converting gypsum, by reaction with ammonium carbonate, to products of ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate by introducing the reactants into reactors, mixing the reactants for a predetermined amount of time, employing a novel combination of countercurrent flows coupled with the reactors operated in a batch manner with process recycle of liquids, removing materials from the reactor and separating solids from solutions wherein no reactants are added during the removal process and thus the reactants have sufficient time to react and ensure the desired degree of reaction, yield and purity of product calcium carbonate and ammonium sulfate while minimizing the reaction time.

Abstract: A urea fertilizer having reduced ammonia volatilization upon application to soil including a central particle having an outer surface and comprising ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the central particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: granulating ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, with a binder to produce volatilization inhibitor particles; screening the inhibitor particles to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the inhibitor particles to produce a coating on the inhibitor particles; granulating the coated inhibitor particles with sprayed melted urea to produce granules of urea coated central volatilization particles; and cooling the granules.

Abstract: A controlled release fertilizer including a fertilizer granule, having an outer surface, a coating of biopolymer composition on the outer surface of the fertilizer granule, wherein the biopolymer composition includes at least one biopolymer, and a process of making the controlled release fertilizer including the steps of screening fertilizer granules to a preselected granule size, heating a biopolymer to become substantially fluid, and applying the biopolymer onto the surface of the fertilizer granule to produce a coating on the granule of a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A urea fertilizer having reduced ammonia volatilization upon application to soil including a central particle having an outer surface and comprising ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the central particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: granulating ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, with a binder to produce volatilization inhibitor particles; screening the inhibitor particles to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the inhibitor particles to produce a coating on the inhibitor particles; granulating the coated inhibitor particles with sprayed melted urea to produce granules of urea coated central volatilization particles; and cooling the granules.

Abstract: A urea fertilizer having reduced ammonia volatilization upon application to soil including a central particle having an outer surface and comprising ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the central particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: granulating ammonia volatilization inhibiting compounds containing one or more of boron and iodine, with a binder to produce volatilization inhibitor particles; screening the inhibitor particles to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the inhibitor particles to produce a coating on the inhibitor particles; granulating the coated inhibitor particles with sprayed melted urea to produce granules of urea coated central volatilization particles; and cooling the granules.

Abstract: A continuous countercurrent flow process for converting FGD gypsum to ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate including countercurrent flows with internal recycle of liquids to maximize the purity of reaction products while minimizing reaction times, and further include embodiments of the process that provide a yield of both ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate to be 97 to 100%, and embodiments that provide for processes having a total time of reaction being 8 to 12 minutes, the invention further including processes for removing contaminants from the FGD gypsum employing an acid rinse process and/or a slurry tank reactor process.

Abstract: A fertilizer supplying animal nutrients including a core particle having an outer surface and comprising compounds containing animal nutrients, and a coating of urea on the outer surface of the core particle, and further a process of making the fertilizer including the steps of: screening animal nutrient core particles comprising a powdered substance containing an animal nutrient, to a preselected particle size; spraying melted urea onto the surface of the nutrient core particles to produce a coating on the nutrient core particles; granulating the nutrient core particles with sprayed melted urea to produce nutrient core granules; and cooling the nutrient core granules.

Abstract: A continuous countercurrent flow process for converting FGD gypsum to ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate including countercurrent flows with internal recycle of liquids to maximize the purity of reaction products while minimizing reaction times, and further include embodiments of the process that provide a yield of both ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate to be 97 to 100%, and embodiments that provide for processes having a total time of reaction being 8 to 12 minutes, the invention further including processes for removing contaminants from the FGD gypsum employing an acid rinse process and/or a slurry tank reactor process.

Abstract: A controlled release fertilizer including a fertilizer granule, having an outer surface, a coating of biopolymer composition on the outer surface of the fertilizer granule, wherein the biopolymer composition includes at least one biopolymer, and a process of making the controlled release fertilizer including the steps of screening fertilizer granules to a preselected granule size, heating a biopolymer to become substantially fluid, and applying the biopolymer onto the surface of the fertilizer granule to produce a coating on the granule of a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A controlled release fertilizer including a fertilizer granule, having an outer surface, a coating of biopolymer composition on the outer surface of the fertilizer granule, wherein the biopolymer composition includes at least one biopolymer, and a process of making the controlled release fertilizer including the steps of screening fertilizer granules to a preselected granule size, heating a biopolymer to become substantially fluid, and applying the biopolymer onto the surface of the fertilizer granule to produce a coating on the granule of a predetermined amount.