Some Economic and Technical Factors Affecting Use of Phosphate Raw Materials

Abstract

In comparison with phosphate resources most of the other industrial minerals essential to man have much higher unit values. Furthermore, they generally have more narrowly defined geochemical origins, concentration requirements, and end-use markets. Consequently, an economic assessment of their mined production cost in relation to market value is more easily and reliably defined. Thus, the mere knowledge of existing or newly discovered ore bodies provides economic incentives for exploitation plans--even in the most remote geographical location (as is well illustrated by iron, copper, tin, lead, and similar mineral commodities). Unfortunately, this is not the case for phosphate resources. Much of the known vast reserves of more than 1 X 10(11) tons, which are favourably dispersed among the worldwide markets, remains uneconomical to recover, despite the growing need for phosphate in world food production. A complex set of interrelated technical and economic factors decide the economic potential of any particular phosphate reserve. Although technical similarities may exist among deposits, economic analogies are rare. The economic evaluation of the mineability of the ore and the mill preparation of the concentrates must also take into account the geological setting and character of the ore deposit as well as the eventual end-use markets and their locations.