Phosphorite
“Ancient sea beds feeding modern farms”
Sedimentary
Phosphorite (or phosphate rock) is a sedimentary rock containing high concentrations of phosphate minerals, primarily apatite. It formed from the accumulation of marine organisms on ancient sea floors and is now the essential raw material for phosphate fertilizer production worldwide.
Composition
francolite (carbonate-fluorapatite), collophane, quartz, calcite, clay
Where Found
Morocco (world's largest reserves), Florida (USA), Nauru, Senegal, Jordan, China
Mohs Hardness
5
Fun Fact
Morocco controls about 70% of the world's phosphate rock reserves, making this North African country the Saudi Arabia of fertilizer production.
Test Your Knowledge
Why is Morocco's dominance of global phosphorite reserves considered a geopolitical concern?
Related Specimens
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