Peat and methods of its extraction

What is peat?

Peat is a dead bog vegetation, so its large deposits are formed on the site of ancient water bodies.

Structurally, this geological formation is a homogeneous fibrous mass impregnated with water with plastic properties.

The main characteristic of peat is the degree of its decomposition or, in other words, humification. There are three degrees of humification - low, medium and high.

The shade of peat depends on its location and physical and chemical properties. High-moor peat has a light color, absorbs moisture well, which makes it possible to use it for growing seedlings. Dark lowland peat has a fine structure and contains a large amount of humus - a much needed component for improving the quality of the soil.

Peat is a fuel and a valuable organic fertilizer due to its high concentration of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. This material is used as bedding for livestock. Peat is used for the preparation of medicines for the treatment of diseases of the eyes and genitourinary system, as well as in veterinary medicine. It is widely used as a component for the production of soil and plant substrates.

Peat extraction

The surface location of peat bogs determines the method of their extraction, namely the use of open methods - milling and excavating.

The milling method is that the material is removed in thin layers. To do this, use a special technique - a tractor equipped with milling knives. Moving around the site, the machine removes a thin layer of 2 cm, immediately processing it into a fine fraction. Further, the peat is subject to drying, during which it is periodically loosened until the moisture content of the raw material reaches a certain level. The material is then collected in rolls, placed on trailers and transported to storage facilities. The milling method of collecting peat is possible only in dry and sunny weather.

Peat is extracted with an excavator using a disc with a hydraulic cylinder. This device penetrates into the peat layer to a depth of half a meter and extracts material, which is subsequently pressed and passed through nozzles directly onto the field in the form of undulating lumps. Therefore, such peat is called "lumpy". After a short drying time, it is collected in rolls, forming 1-3 layers of them, and taken to piles.

Speaking of peat, mention should also be made of the old, artisanal method of extracting it, which is to cut peat bricks by hand. Some peatlands still use manual labor, but modern technology has practically replaced this method.