Ottawa Paper - List of Commercial Phosphates

Inasmuch as] the mining of phosphate rock and its transportation has so general a bearing on the great industries of this continent, entering as well into the problem of our trade with foreign countries, it may be useful to place on record the following list of localities from which certain products of a like nature are received by us in a business way, or in which we are interested more or less either by ownership or by competition. As a ready means of comparison, the percentages of the mine products and the deteriorating constituents are given : Coprolite (Cambridge).—This material is obtained from the Upper Greensand formation in Cambridgeshire. The phosphate runs from 50 to 60 per cent., and averages 64 per cent. It contains much carbonate of calcium, but little iron, in the ferric condition. The superphosphates manufactured from the material are permanent and little liable to a revert." They contain from 28 to 35 per cent. of soluble phosphate. Coprolite (Buckingham).—From the same formation as the Cambridge variety, and very similar in composition.. It averages 60 per cent. phosphate. Coprolite (Suffolk).—These coprolites are not so valuable for the manufacture of superphosphate as the two previous varieties, as the iron they contain is in the ferric state, and liable to "revert" the soluble phosphate. The phosphate varies from 48 to 60 per cent., but averages 54 per cent. They are of Tertiary formation. Coprolite (Potton or Bedford).—The average amount of phosphate in these coprolites is about 50 per cent. In some cases they may, however, run up to 60 per cent., and in others may not exceed 45 per cent. They belong to the Lower Greensand formation. The ferric iron frequently is as high as 4 per cent., and the alumina as much. Russian phosphate comes from the chalk, and occurs in carious rounded masses. It contains from 28 to 35 per cent. of phosphate, but may run up to 69 or 70 per cent. Curacoa phosphate is also of very high class quality, giving 80