Phosphate Deposits Of The World Volume 2 Phosphate Rock Resources

One of four volumes which provides a good understanding of the mode of occurrence, geological setting and phosphogenesis of the world's phosphate resources.

This book is the second of four reference volumes which collectively describe the achievements of the International Geological Correlation Programme Project 156 (Phosphorites) during the ten years of the Project's existence. Volume 2 contains 93 chapters contributed by 111 researchers, dealing with most, if not all, of the major individual deposits or phosphate fields of the world, whether of igneous or sedimentary origin. Total resources of phosphate rock are extremely large, but are unequally distributed geographically and only a relatively small proportion can be mined on an economic scale at present. The text is arranged on a continental basis, with an introductory chapter for each continent summarising the distribution of resources within the geological timescale. This unique volume provides a good understanding of the mode of occurrence, geological setting and phosphogenesis of the world's phosphate resources. It forms an invaluable aid to the search for, and exploitation of, phosphate deposits in many countries.

The origin of marine phosphorites, the principal raw material for phosphatic fertilizers, appears to be related mainly to marine biological productivity, often associated with upwelling currents during certain intervals of geological time. This book examines the environmental setting and resulting phosphorites which formed during the Miocene period, and investigations of modern oceanic environments where phosphorites are presently forming are also described.

This book is an important contribution to the scientific understanding of phosphate deposits.