Phosphate Mining in Florida
To meet the continuing world
demand for phosphate, we plan to extend existing mines and develop
new mines in Hardee, Manatee and DeSoto counties. By extending
existing mining operations onto adjoining properties, we can
continue producing phosphate in the area without increasing our
water consumption by connecting to existing stormwater and water
circulation systems. Extensions also allow us to take advantage of
previously approved infrastructure, minimizing the need to build
new plants and equipment.
Extended mines and new mining operations undergo exhaustive planning and approval processes to protect air, water, ecology, transportation, safety and other environmental, health and public welfare considerations. After mining, state-approved reclamation programs will result in productive land uses, including enhanced wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.
How Phosphate is Recovered
Phosphate rock is usually found 15-50 feet
beneath the ground in a mixture of phosphate pebbles, sand and clay
known as phosphate "matrix." The sandy layer above the matrix,
called the overburden, is removed using electrically operated
draglines. Equipped with large buckets, these draglines remove the
overburden, placing it in the previously mined voids, and excavate
the matrix, depositing it into a shallow containment area or slurry
pit. There, high-pressure water guns turn the material into a
watery mixture called slurry, which is sent through pipelines to a
processing facility, referred to as a beneficiation plant, where
phosphate rock is physically separated from the sand and clay in
the matrix.At the plant, the slurry is moved through a series of washing stations and vibrating screens that physically separate clay, sand and pebble-sized particles. The separated phosphate pebbles are moved through dewatering tanks and onto an inventory pile via conveyor belt. The clay particles are then pumped through pipelines into storage ponds (clay settling areas) where these particles sink to the bottom. These ponds function as reservoirs and help Mosaic recycle or reuse approximately 95 percent of the water at its phosphate facilities, while also supporting a variety of wildlife.
The smallest particles of sand
and phosphate are further separated at a flotation plant. The sand
is returned by pipeline to the mine area for use in land
reclamation, while the phosphate concentrate is sent to dewatering
tanks and then to the inventory pile. The phosphate minerals are
then transported by rail to a separate manufacturing plant and
transformed into finished fertilizer products.
Watch our new video - The Phosphate Story - for a nine-minute
view into Mosaic's phosphate mining, fertilizer production,
reclamation and stewardship practices in Florida. Click here to view a map of our global
operations and locations.
Water management during the
mining process is an extremely important part our operations. To learn more, click
here.
