Phosphate Rock

Name:
Phosphate Rock
Detailed information:
(phosphorite). A natural rock consisting largely of calcium phosphate and used as a raw material for manufacture of phosphate fertilizers, phosphoric acid, phosphorus, and animal feeds. Recovery of uranium from the manufacture of phosphoric acid and other phosphate chemicals is expected to become an important source of this metal. Phosphate rock is the primary source of superphosphate, prepared by treatment of the pulverized rock with sulfuric acid (superphosphate having 16–18% P₂O₅) or by acidifying with phosphoric acid (triple superphosphate having 40–48% P₂O₅). Nitric acid is sometimes used, i.e., nitrophosphate. Defluorinated phosphate rock is the source of phosphate used in animal feeds and feed concentrations. Important deposits are in the U.S. (Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, California, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho), North Africa (Morocco, Libya, Algeria), the former U.S.S.R., and various islands in the Pacific.