Controlled release fertilizers containing calcium sulfate and processes for making same

A process for preparing a controlled release agricultural absorbent based product comprising the following steps:

• introducing a predetermined amount of water to particles of absorbent material containing capillaries/voids between 10-200 microns in cross-sectional diameter, to result in absorption of water within the absorbent material;
• heating the absorbent particles and water to transform the water within the absorbent particles to steam;
• introducing the heated absorbent particles to an agriculturally beneficial material, at least including calcium sulfate, and said beneficial material being selected from the group consisting of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides for blending to essentially saturate the absorbent particles with the agriculturally beneficial material;
• and
• granulating the combination of agriculturally beneficial material and saturated absorbent particles to solidify and harden the mixture within the absorbent particles and outside the particles, resulting in the agglomeration of absorbent particles into granules.

A process for preparing a controlled release agricultural absorbent based product comprising the following steps:

• introducing a predetermined amount of water to particles of absorbent material containing capillaries/voids between 10-200 microns in cross-sectional diameter, to result in absorption of water within the absorbent material;
• heating the absorbent particles and water to transform the water within the absorbent particles to steam;
• mixing an interspatial blocker material and an agriculturally beneficial material, at least including calcium sulfate, and said beneficial material being selected from the group consisting of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides;
• introducing the heated absorbent particles to the mixture of agriculturally beneficial material and interspatial blocker for blending to essentially saturate the absorbent particles with the mixture of agriculturally beneficial material and interspatial blocker;
• and
• granulating the combination of agriculturally beneficial material, interspatial blocker and saturated absorbent particles to solidify and harden the mixture within the absorbent particles and outside the particles, resulting in the agglomeration of absorbent particles into granules.

A process for preparing a controlled release agricultural product comprising the following steps:

• mixing a control release holding substance selected from the group consisting of plant starches, protein gels, glues, gumming compositions, crystallizing compounds, gelling clays and synthetic gel forming compounds with an agriculturally beneficial material in an aqueous solution or molten state, at least including calcium sulfate, said agriculturally beneficial material being selected from the group consisting of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides;
• blending the mixture of agriculturally beneficial material and holding substance;
• and
• granulating the combination of agriculturally beneficial material and holding substance to solidify and harden the mixture, resulting in granules.