[i]How interesting, I remember a decade ago how the enviromentalists stated that the soil in the Amazon jungle was to poor in nutrients for farming crops.[/i]
And if I recall correctly, this was discovered by someone who was trying to study how such an advanced civilization could have ever thrived there prior to Spanish invasion. . .
I think it was some sort of bacteria in the soil, and the ancient civilization knew how to cultivate the bacteria. One truckful they said, could be spread around an acre, and with a few years the entire acre would be the new type of bacterially infested soil.
Then they did the yield tests, and the bacteria treated (but otherwise poor) rainforest soil out-performed all the other modern fertilizers.
There is a good chance this ancient technology will have a profound impact on future economics!
SO they are going to tear out the jungle for it's dirt. LOL!! Not that is poetic justice.
But for the microbes to do their job, the soil has to be conditioned with charred material first. Once that happens, some of the soil can be mined, and if enough is left it will regenerate.