Economic Factors in the Western Phosphate Industry

An economic appraisal of the western phosphate industrial potentials made between 1945 and 1948 revealed possibilities for a considerable expansion in the production of high analysis phosphate fertilizer. The most significant facts are: (1) a rapidly increasing and a much larger potential market which might be reached from the western deposits, (2) the existence of large undeveloped deposits of phosphate rock, (3) potential energy from sulphuric acid, coal, or hydroelectric power in the general vicinity of the deposits. The challenge to the mining and metallurgical engineering profession is in the economical development of phosphate mines and in improving processes for utilization of the western ores and the recovery of byproducts to make the expanded western industry satisfactorily compete with the industry in the East and South in meeting the fertilizer needs of the Midwest and Far West.