Diatomite mine an ‘unsurpassed’ scientific resource

GRAEME Thompson (ODT 14.9.18) questions whether diatomite from the Middlemarch Foulden Maar mine has any use as a fertiliser on palm plantations.

Diatomite is not a fertiliser in itself but an additive, which can inhibit fertiliser leaching and on palm plantations improves resistance to the fungus disease Ganderma.

Plaman Resources majority shareholder is Iris Corporation, whose biggest shareholder is FELDA. FELDA, through its subsidiary, FGVH, is the world’s largest palm plantation owner and thirdlargest palm oil producer. FELDA was recently reported by the Wall Street Journal to be linked to massive rainforest deforestation and complicit in widespread human rights abuse of migrant workers.

As a former owner of the mine Mr Thompson confirms that, contrary to Plaman claims, the wet black diatomite from Foulden Maar is of low quality.

However, as an international scientific resource for the study of both palaeontology and climate change, this site is unsurpassed. Donald Shand

Dunedin

Hotere artwork

IT is with great relief that I read (ODT 28.9.18) of the Ralph Hotere donated by him to the Fortune Theatre being now deposited in the Hocken.

There it can be enjoyed by all as was not possible at the theatre, which could not provide a sufficiently secure display area. This is surely a silver lining to the recent dark cloud of the theatre’s closure. Heather Grimwood

Halfway Bush

Saving the planet

I USE supermarket plastic bags to line kitchen tidies and sort plastic, metal and paper waste prior to popping into the city council’s yellowlidded, homecollection bins.

I wonder just how mixing all this up piecemeal in the bins is going to save the planet? I. Williams

Dunedin