[Revised Land] (6) Humic acid originates from the soil and, in turn, nourishes the soil.

Soil is the loose, fertile surface layer of the Earth that supports plant growth, composed of minerals, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms. Among the organic matter, humus accounts for approximately 85% to over 95%.
The soil also comes in a variety of colors.
Perhaps in your mind, soil is simply gray or black. In fact, that’s not the case—soil comes in a wide variety of colors. Among the more well-known types are the black soils of Northeast China, the red and yellow soils of Central and South China, and the purple soils of Sichuan.

The amount of humus can modulate the soil’s color: black soils have a high humus content, whereas soils with low humus content appear gray or grayish-white, as seen in the gray desert soils of Xinjiang.
Minerals give soil colors other than black. For example, red soils owe their color to a high content of iron oxides; when these oxides form hydrated iron oxides, the soil appears yellow. Under poorly ventilated conditions with limited oxygen, the iron oxides further reduce to ferrous oxides, imparting a grayish‑blue hue. White soils, on the other hand, are associated with high salt concentrations. Purple soils, meanwhile, develop from the weathering products of purple sandstones and shales and are particularly common in Sichuan.
The current state of the soil is alarming.
On March 28, Reference News published a report titled “Scientists Warn That Land Degradation Threatens the Well-being of 3.2 Billion People.” Dozens of scientists have completed the first comprehensive assessment of land conditions, deepening our understanding of the critical importance and urgency of safeguarding soil-based life for all humanity.
Soil fertility is relatively low. The average organic matter content in Chinese soils is around 2.5%, which is 20 to 30 percentage points lower than that of developed countries.
Soil acidification is accelerating. Due to unsustainable agricultural practices, the soil pH is currently declining by an average of one unit every 20 to 30 years; for each one-unit drop, the bioavailability of the heavy metal cadmium increases a hundredfold.
Soil compaction is becoming increasingly severe. The improper use of chemical fertilizers has plunged soil cultivation into a vicious cycle: soil compaction → increased fertilizer application → in pursuit of higher yields → excessive fertilizer use → even greater soil compaction…
Soil carbon storage and sequestration capacity have declined. Prolonged, unsustainable tillage practices have reduced humic acid content in the soil, diminishing its ability to store and regulate carbon, with significant adverse impacts on the climate and environment.
The Positive Effects of Humic Acid on Soil
As an essential component of soil organic matter, humic acid plays a pivotal role in the material exchange and energy transformation processes within the soil ecosystem during soil formation. It can be said that humic acid is the “heart” of the soil; without it, the soil would essentially “die.”
Humic acid can rapidly enhance soil fertility. In natural conditions, the decomposition of organic matter in soil typically takes at least two to three years, and can extend over decades or even centuries. By applying industrially extracted humic acid, the maturation process is significantly accelerated.
Humic acid products can be either acidic or alkaline. With molecular weights ranging from a few hundred to over one million, they can be formulated into either acidic or alkaline soil conditioners through various processing methods, thereby meeting the needs of different soil types.
Humic acid for the remediation of heavy metal contamination. Humic acid can reduce the concentration of heavy metal contaminants in soil and, at the same time, enhance the soil’s self‑remediation capacity, thereby playing a significant role in soil restoration.
Humic acid can stimulate the growth and reproduction of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Humic acid can enhance the soil’s water-holding capacity, helping to conserve both water and nutrients.
The low-carbon characteristics of humic acid not only promote energy conservation, decarbonization, and greening, but also offer practical benefits for the global carbon cycle and climate change.
Humic acid originates in the soil and, in turn, enriches the soil—entirely natural and more efficient. Moreover, its physical, chemical, biological, and ecological effects on soil have become another key factor driving the nationwide promotion of humic‑acid‑based fertilizers.