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Rock phosphate
 
 
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Rock phosphate is a general term for rock that contains a high concentration of phosphate minerals
Phosphate minerals

Phosphate minerals are those minerals that contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate anion along with the freely substituting arsenate and vanadate ....
, which commonly belong to the apatite
Apatite

Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually referring to hydroxylapatite, fluorapatite, and chlorapatite, named for high concentrations of Hydroxyl−, Fluorine−, or Chlorine− ions, respectively, in the crystal....
 group. Phosphate rock minerals are the only significant global resources of phosphorus. Phosphorus
Phosphorus

Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. The name comes from the and . A Valency nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus is commonly found in inorganic phosphate minerals....
 is an essential element for plant and animal nutrition. Mined rock phosphate is primarily used in the production of phosphate fertilisers for agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
. Phosphorus from rock phosphate is also used in animal feed supplements, food preservatives, anti-corrosion agents, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy.

In the world, the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 is the leading importer of phosphate rock, but the leading producer and exporter of phosphate fertilizers, accounting for about 37% of world P2O5 exports .






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Rock phosphate is a general term for rock that contains a high concentration of phosphate minerals
Phosphate minerals

Phosphate minerals are those minerals that contain the tetrahedrally coordinated phosphate anion along with the freely substituting arsenate and vanadate ....
, which commonly belong to the apatite
Apatite

Apatite is a group of phosphate minerals, usually referring to hydroxylapatite, fluorapatite, and chlorapatite, named for high concentrations of Hydroxyl−, Fluorine−, or Chlorine− ions, respectively, in the crystal....
 group. Phosphate rock minerals are the only significant global resources of phosphorus. Phosphorus
Phosphorus

Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. The name comes from the and . A Valency nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus is commonly found in inorganic phosphate minerals....
 is an essential element for plant and animal nutrition. Mined rock phosphate is primarily used in the production of phosphate fertilisers for agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
. Phosphorus from rock phosphate is also used in animal feed supplements, food preservatives, anti-corrosion agents, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy.

In the world, the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 is the leading importer of phosphate rock, but the leading producer and exporter of phosphate fertilizers, accounting for about 37% of world P2O5 exports . The world’s total economic demonstrated resource of rock phosphate is 18 Gt, which occurs principally as sedimentary marine phosphorite
Phosphorite

A phosphorite or phosphate rock is a non-detrital sedimentary rock which contains high amounts of phosphate bearing minerals. The phosphate content of phosphorite is at least 20% which is a large enrichment over the typical sedimentary rock content of less than 0.2%....
s.

See also

  • Rock phosphate is also known as Phosphate rock
    Phosphate rock

    Phosphate rock or phosphorite is a general description applied to several kinds of rock which contain significant concentrations of phosphate minerals, which are minerals that contain the phosphate ion in their chemical structure....
  • Nauru
    Nauru

    Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island nation in the Micronesian Pacific Ocean....


External links

  • USGS Phosphate Rock
Statistics and Information