Wastes of Phosphate and Potash Ores

Abstract

Plants and agricultural crops require phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen as macronutrients. In order to maintain agricultural crop yields, these elements must be added to replace those lost from the soil. In most cases, the nutrients are added to agricultural land as mineral fertilizers (UNEP/IFA 2001). Nitrogen fertilizers are generally produced from atmospheric nitrogen, water, and energy. In contrast, the production of phosphate and potassium fertilizers relies on the provision of phosphate rock and potash ores. The majority of mined phosphate rock and potash ore is processed to fertilizer; a minor proportion of the mined material is used for other purposes. World population growth and the necessity to provide adequate food supplies have resulted in the significant growth of phosphate and potash mining, and fertilizer consumption over the last 100 years. This growth has also led to the ever increasing volume of phosphate and potash mine wastes.