It (hamate) technically refers to the salts of combined components such as humic and fulvic acids, and humin. To utilize the scientific nomenclature, they are also referred to as humic substances.
They are also refractory, meaning that they do not decompose easily. In addition, it takes soil microbes a period of many years to degrade them. This is why we use wet-chemistry and make them more functional.
~ Dr. Mir-Mohammad Seyedbagheri