Our Process

The proof of how something is made is in what comes out. What comes out of our process is a liquid that is naturally alkaline, not acidic — clean and mild, not harsh — the minerals intact, the way the earth made them. Every choice we make, from the single deposit we draw from to the slow, small-batch way we bottle it in Grand Junction, Colorado, exists to protect those qualities. Here is how.

Process at a Glance

Source	A single freshwater humate deposit in the Southwest United States, more than 25 feet below the surface
Process	A gentle, unhurried process refined since 2000 — ambient temperature, no pressure extrusion
Duration	20 to 30 days per batch
Result	A clean, naturally alkaline finished product
Production	Made and bottled in small batches in Grand Junction, Colorado
Certification	cGMP certified facility
Testing	Every lot of raw material is tested for microbial purity, and specific raw materials are also tested for heavy metals on every lot. Every finished lot is tested for microbial purity by an independent third-party laboratory. Finished products are tested for heavy metals, trace mineral composition, and humic and fulvic content by independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories at least once a year.
Source reuse	Never — each batch uses fresh humate at full original strength

Step 1: The Source — A Deposit Unlike Any Other

What Is Humate and Why Does Source Matter?

All fulvic acid supplements begin with humate — the dark, mineral-rich organic material formed over millions of years as ancient plant matter decomposed deep in the earth. The geological environment in which it formed, the depth at which it sits, and the source material from which it originated all determine the quality and composition of the fulvic acid that can be drawn from it.

Vital Earth Minerals sources its humate from a single freshwater deposit in the Southwest United States. We have worked with the same source since the company's founding in 2000.

How Humate Becomes Rich in Minerals

Humate is what remains after ancient plant matter breaks down over an immense span of time. What makes it special is that it is chemically active — its surfaces are covered in binding sites that naturally attract and hold mineral ions. Over millions of years in a mineral-rich freshwater setting, these molecules gathered a broad spectrum of trace minerals drawn from the surrounding geology — the same kinds of minerals the original plants pulled from living soil.

Fulvic acid is the smallest and most soluble fraction of that material. Because of its size, it stays dissolved in solution and carries an unusually diverse mineral profile — which is exactly what makes a clean, plant-derived freshwater source so different from minerals drawn from marine sediment, oxidized coal, or rock.

Factor	What This Means
Depth	More than 25 feet below the earth's surface — naturally isolated from agricultural runoff, industrial pollutants, and surface contamination
Origin	A continental freshwater geological environment — not marine sediment, not oxidized coal, not rock formation
Source material	Ancient plant matter — producing fulvic acid with a very low molecular weight and a diverse organic acid profile
Consistency	A single source, never blended with material from other locations — so every batch comes from the same deposit
Protection	The depth provides natural protection, which we verify through independent third-party heavy metal testing of the finished product at least once a year

Step 2: The Extraction — Gentle, Slow, and Unhurried

The Process That Lets the Result Speak for Itself

Vital Earth Minerals has used the same gentle, unhurried method since 2000 — refined by hand over more than 25 years. That finished product is naturally alkaline. It needs nothing added: no sweeteners, no flavoring. The mild, clean, slightly earthy taste is simply what these minerals taste like when they are made carefully and left intact.

The Principles Behind It

• Time over speed — the extraction unfolds over 20 to 30 days and is never cut short for production

• Gentle throughout — the process runs at ambient temperature, with no added heat

• Never forced — no pressure extrusion; the minerals are drawn out at their own pace

• Documented — every step is recorded and controlled under our cGMP standards

• Preserved — the minerals reach the bottle in their naturally alkaline state, from source to finish

The Taste Test The taste of Vital Earth Minerals is one of the most direct signals of how carefully it is made. Ours is mild and slightly earthy, with no added sweeteners or flavors. A clean, naturally alkaline product simply does not need anything added to make it easy to take.

Source Material Is Never Reused — and Never Wasted

Once a batch is complete, the spent humate is never reused in another batch. Every batch of Vital Earth Minerals begins with fresh source material at its full original strength. Rather than discard the spent material, we give it to local farmers as a natural soil amendment — improving soil structure, water retention, and microbial health. It is a quiet vote of confidence in the source itself: material that farmers actively want for their soil is not ordinary dirt.

Step 3: Made and Bottled in Grand Junction, Colorado

Our products are made and bottled in the same place — our own facility in Grand Junction, Colorado. From the process itself to filling and labeling each bottle, it happens under one roof, in small batches, by people who live in this community. Small-batch production means every run is supervised and documented, and every finished lot is tested for microbial purity before it leaves our facility. It means anomalies are caught before they reach customers.

Our bottles use HDPE plastic — BPA-free and specifically chosen to protect the ionic mineral content of the product from chemical leaching and UV degradation.

Step 4: Quality Testing — Verified by Independent Laboratories

Quality testing starts before production. Every lot of raw material we receive is tested for microbial purity, and specific raw materials are also tested for heavy metals on every lot. Every finished lot of every product is then tested for microbial purity by an independent third-party laboratory before it is released, and our finished products go to independent ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories for heavy metal, mineral, and humic and fulvic analysis at least once a year.

Test	What We Test For, and How Often
Raw materials: microbial purity	Bacterial contamination, yeast, and mold. Every incoming lot.
Raw materials: heavy metals	Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in specific raw materials. Every incoming lot.
Finished product: microbial purity	Coliform, E. coli, Salmonella, and yeast and mold, confirming the finished product is safe for consumption. Every finished lot, before release.
Finished product: heavy metals	Lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, the four heavy metals of primary concern in any mineral supplement derived from geological source material. At least once a year.
Finished product: trace mineral composition	The plant-derived mineral spectrum that makes the product what it is. At least once a year.
Finished product: humic and fulvic content	Humic acid and hydrophobic fulvic acid, measured by ISO 19822, the method adopted by the Humic Products Trade Association. At least once a year.
Documentation	Finished product testing results are available to customers upon request. We encourage you to ask.

What We Never Do

• Apply heat to the extraction — ambient temperature throughout

• Reuse source material — every batch uses fresh humate at full original strength

• Add artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors

• Blend source materials from different locations — single-source consistency, every batch

• Use BPA-containing packaging

• Release a lot without third-party microbial testing: every lot, every product

Frequently Asked Questions: Our Process

Why does your fulvic acid have an alkaline pH?

Because the finished product is naturally alkaline, and our process is built to preserve that character from source to bottle. Many fulvic products on the market are acidic. Ours is not.

Why does your product taste so mild?

Because we add no sweeteners, flavors, or artificial ingredients. The mild, slightly earthy taste is simply the natural character of clean fulvic and humic minerals.

Why do you use a single source rather than blending?

Consistency and accountability. When a product is made from a single, known, tested source, we can make confident statements about its composition, mineral profile, and purity.

How long does your process take?

20 to 30 days per batch. The extra time is the cost of a gentle, unhurried approach — one we have chosen to keep since 2000 because the result is a product that needs nothing added to it.

Why does a gentle process produce a lower yield?

A slower, gentler process yields less per pound of source material than faster methods. We accepted that trade-off when the company was founded, and we have never reconsidered it. The yield is lower. The product is better.

Does the spent humate go to waste?

No. Once a batch is complete, the spent source material is donated to local farmers as a soil amendment. It returns to the earth rather than going to waste, and it ensures we never reuse source material across batches.

What does your testing cover?

We test every lot of incoming raw material for microbial purity, and every lot of specific raw materials for heavy metals. Every finished lot is tested for microbial purity by an independent third-party laboratory before release, and finished products are tested for heavy metals, trace mineral composition, and humic and fulvic content at least once a year. Finished product results are available on request; email info@vitalearthminerals.com.

→ About Vital Earth Minerals

→ Our Story

→ What Is Fulvic Acid? The Complete Guide

→ Plant-Derived vs. Rock-Derived Fulvic Acid

vitalearthminerals.com | Grand Junction, Colorado | cGMP Certified | Third-Party Tested | Founded 2000

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Vital Earth Minerals makes nutritional supplements; we are not doctors or healthcare practitioners, and nothing here is medical advice. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare practitioner before beginning any supplement — particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition.