An integrative literature review of agrominerals as soil remineralizing sources

Agrominerals mineral raw materials derived from rocks and geological by-products constitute a promising category of alternative soil amendments with demonstrated potential to restore macro- and micronutrient availability while simultaneously improving physical and chemical soil properties. Despite a growing body of primary research, no comprehensive synthesis has yet characterized the evolution of methodological approaches employed in this field. This study addresses that gap through an integrative mixed-methodology review combining bibliometric analysis with systematic literature review, drawing on two major scientific databases (Scopus and Web of Science). Following the application of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, duplicate removal, and full-text screening, a final corpus of 76 peer-reviewed articles (1989–2024) was obtained and subjected to complete content analysis. Publication output remained marginal until the 2010s and intensified markedly after 2020, with 67% of all analyzed articles published between 2020 and 2024, coinciding with legislative advances in Brazil, global sustainability agendas, and geopolitical disruptions to synthetic fertilizer supply chains. Brazil dominated the field, accounting for 61% of all publications and the highest total citation count, reflecting the country’s regulatory leadership and geological diversity. Methodologically, three consistent and interrelated trends emerged across the corpus: (i) a predominance of short-duration experiments (≤ 1 year; 46%), largely involving basic igneous rocks particularly basalt applied to acidic Ferralsols under tropical and subtropical climates; (ii) multi-stage evaluation designs integrating chemical, geological, and agronomic assessments (63%), with X-ray diffraction (XRD) as the dominant mineralogical technique (29%); and (iii) a limited explicit reference to established normative frameworks, with only 17% of studies citing them. Notable knowledge gaps include the scarcity of long-term field trials, limited adoption of microbial biosolubilization approaches, insufficient climatic reporting, and the near-absence of standardized dosage protocols. Collectively, these findings delineate a research field in accelerated consolidation yet constrained by methodological heterogeneity and limited regulatory alignment two challenges that must be addressed to advance the translation of agromineral research into scalable, evidence-based soil management practices.