Staff report on phosphates
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Public-domain full text preserved in the Mountain Man Mining Library. Original source: pubs.usgs.gov.
J .. STAFF REPORT ON PHOSPHATES By V. E. McKelvey and James B. Cathcart Trace Elements Investigations Report 94 E
Geological Survey
·. V. E. lfclielw7 a4 JUill8 B. Catllo&n . JiUtaera1 DIIPMt~a Bruch Jlllite 1949
Tb· distribution of this report is as follows: Copy No. , Series p R. P. Fischer, Orand Junction 2 p;J~ G&F Jsee - ' .. 3 H. A. fourtelot, Fuels 4 A. g' .Kosc~"'1a..lll, Denver e: 6
ST.AJT FJ4tiDA. PllOSPBM$: b7 James B. Catbeert General Geology
t.Mt or phospbate are foud, 1a Flortdat .lud pe'bbl,. .ber4 rock, aa4 r1 ver peQble.. Oaly the tirat type eoa.talks 8.QJ' etsatn-cant 8110UDta . ot unmtum ud tb.ia ttnt tfpe. ttaa · beea iJ.we&ti.satea. bJ tM Geolostcal avve,.. TM J'OCU 1D tbe laud pe'bhle ftelcl ue pearl.)r flat J.Tl& aedt MBtarJ' rocke, which are a part ot the GQlt Coaatal Pla1D. w-q gently to the· south. 'rhe oldest rocks ex,pas.ed are phos-phatic · llMatoDes, marls, and eluttee ot tile ~ll - .formation (lower mddle Mioee) . The Bone Valley Formattoa (lowe~ l'ltoceue) waco.aformabl.J ·Ol'l the BaY'tJaonl~: sad 1& 1D part 4er1 ved. troa. ·it.· !he Boue Ve.Uey has heft divided iato a lower ZOJ:Ie· (basal gravel) _aad. aa upper zoae (the uleaehedt .zone) . Reataa lU.a¢oat'orM'bly oa the Boae· Valley an tbe suds ot tbe Plets'toeeae· tern.eea. Phosphate· ta maed tr011 both the Bawtborn pd Bo Valley Fcnattoa
- · .Practically DO l~J"Uli1Pt. ( .001· .002/; U) is n 't:be fre:sh Bavtborn tormatioa... B'cwe'Yf!r when the lime bas d tram. tile J!avtbora, tJ:fe. amowtt ot waatua is sligbtq til aa awra.se of .·0031> u ud it .m&J' rua as high u lover zoae of the Boae Valley is s1gm1ficaatly b1.aller tlwa· the .. 1D uramua, wt tb ·average of 01$ v, e.nd aa u .o:Q, u. Whea the upper zo of the Bone Valle7 ta l.Q.cbed it ie near~ elwqa &1pi't1ca.atly' l'liaber in uranium content. ·tbaa .·tme Uleac:b.ed 01" lover core# &ad. ccmtat tbe hiShut uraa1 ctmceutratiQilS ka<:JvD la
.- Flor.l.k -.Jbate. ·!l'he awn.&e ot tlse·
leache4 te .oa o. u, ad loeally tt u hall · - . .v. In t1Je Pleistocene veq little uruium is toun4 au4 J~QSt UalJs port lesa t'baa . 004~ u. Oeeasiomitlly, ·Vben reworked pbotl~te 1lOdulee .-. preaeat in tlle overl.na-de:n, aaalpe$ _are hip as . 01-r.' V. Measured an listed--be1ov, 'Oped_ upal'l data ·tna.-- about 6c4-ot tibe aea ot hial1 ~&de ore iDdicated on the accO!Qall7tna · aketch, all ~s- . Freaent e08leJ"eial cut .. ott is .pral!J at 70 BP.L: Reserve · BPL - Pe'b'ble J'l.otattoa In c-computing the above are, , only measured -are, that _is, aeuval.l.7 at leaat 4 drUl holes per 40 acre:~ ad. ta. moa·t caaea - - )Wles per 4.0 acres, At leas-t l/3 ot ·tbe area 1t1 eovered QDly llt cb:1,1Uq doDe: 'PJ'1~ to 1934 . (laetore ·t'be 1ntr~'i1oa of tlotatioa) .atli tb.e notat.ia to=aaes will po$s1bl.J be increased b7 ad4it1oUJ. '0.100 llilliou tcme- t1'l the area. al.Naq·-covuect ex,lora.ttoa (aee ttpre 1).
·3but are ·still subJect to an addi tiomal d1acoU.Dt of about tor mining loss. SlU.a, vhteh make up about .l/3 of tbe rock in the ground aad contain, in lllU.Y areas, pp:ronmately 1/3 ot the pbos pha.te content .o.f . the · or1g1D&l rock, are eot 1nelud.e4 aiuce as ,et· DO method for recovering phosphate in tbe sltmea baa· been devised. Objective The obJectives of the Florida plloaphate· proJect an u tollowa: : A.. Compilation of all com:pa:o7 data on reaervef.i, thickaesa ot matrix eD4 overburdea, aDd a &tudy o.t tbe phoephate tu tbe diatrict. This vork is about 6o~ complete. One eompau,., Y1rC1aiaCarol1aa Chemical CorporatioD1 a large 18Dd holder, baa uot give.D aQY <lata . . ,et. Study or all the remaiotug cQIIPSii1es is eeeeattallr complete except tw receut proapectirig. B. Stucq of ·tbe relation of plloapbate aad uraaiua i:o . the district Salle aooo-)000 aaplea per ·IIOnth are a.at f.a Ott c.urremt prospectin8 to determine tbe amount, thtclmeas 1 acd s;ra&a of ur&Dillll in both tbe lower· an4 upper zoue. Study the leached · aODe. . All bave beeD and sampled. The. old reeorcla give .DO iadicat1on of th1a eo coaatderable drilling 11111 -.ve to be doua to outline thia woae· aceuratel.7. Thta. would ueceaaitate a loDg ten.· proJect. D. Origin ot phosphate u .d urutwa.· !his 1JDrk being carried 011 eoueuneatly v1 th the eccmomte atwUea· E. InveatigattoD ot al.18 poDde. T.b.i·ff atud'J' YiU be ttaiallad about Auguat 1, 1949 . ·
hom tbe lower zone ot tbe BoDe Valley &boUt 6,000,000 tou of ttllished -product .are . shipped per -,e&r, with a QprOld.ma.te &vuage. grade of .0()9.£ u, which ia equal to DrA!l1D per, Musf1eld eat~ted total rebel-vea of all .grades of measured, dieated, -.nd iDfened ore at apron..tel-J 2. billion tons o:t phosphate, which :tf01114· tlleu Si"te ·about 200,000 toas ot contained uruiua. Thie iraelu4ea J.ar"se ar:ea· ot low phoapbate (55·70 BPt) .abcml oa the aceompaaJiq sketch iD luatee .NJd Hardee CoUDtiea. The ou.tliM ahOwn ia based u.pea .pologic taterezee supported in a. · euea bJ at moat one drill bole per secttou. Aa yet t.be 'liolUlaP. in the leached zqe ot the hue VaU.ey . 1a COJlPleteq UJilmown1 siDce .. so q ltttl.e drill1q .bas O.ea d.O:De. The bed, wl1ue Jl"&ent., varies troa l.O' to 8.0' thick. The range is probabJ.7 from .02$ or 03~ U up to .o6% u. There are veJf:l J.arse toliB&Pa of phoaphat. slime vldch contain in places s1p1f:icant eo:aceatraticu ot uranium. ~ia problem is bell8 1aves tip ted at . preaeat, but P yet DO fiS'QI'e& are available
lJ o So GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PASCO
, EXPLANATION ~Approx o area covered by company pros-
pecting information ' '' ' I .
I -, /
I :
Hardee / ,
Polk ' ' ' ' '
(.
T I ,- ' r' /. I HIGHLANDS
(
'- f-
· ]0 40 Mi.J.es ,
'. . · t~iiTW:( sr Df£P_AUT}~!JT OF TftE l l SURVEl' PROflR ru~·r:,-cRT 01 TilE IJV£~!IG·.:TION5 - IM 1SE 'kiEST& .".N PHO.SF+I t".l stern p · .rt or th ld, th 1$8Cl0 i c strut:~tve is J the folihJ a.re the open d and buJin 't7}'e, th 'bells generally dlp lesa ·than 2S0 , and, tilthough lug.- t ault 'nre. ro.und, larg uaau are unfault · a saea of beds eontitin :.0- 25 pereent. -~5 The u.ran1lun content is likovl . lo.w-phonphu e$ containing 2!'.-25 p~r·c nt 1"1205 $Vl r ag cal7 bou The vhol ccwpleldon cf the weetern part of t he field (i. e. weet ot a line rou hly pr~·rox.imating ro:eri.dlm 1'110) i s d :if.t"~r-tlnt . The geologic etructure b re broken .eJ'ld asked ae to b6 \.ll1Glii t8ble fo:t , · irt!ng. The riliosph4te beds 1 hover~tr, . reuo.h thi<:k&r tt.rtd of l;;i.g,her que,lity in tha et.utter p rt of t-he field . 20 f eet of bed1, incluri ing tvo · zon a in ttrens, \'!Cmt-a1n. ~re tm at pereent r205 aud 20 to )0 teet, ·Of' beds cotltAin tr;o.re tbnn 25 pare nt i'20S ~1ll'lable pho$ph.ate oonta1n!ng ~;ora Eta 31 percent r20s are uao p . sent 1n v
tsh, but t h i r total thickness is not u gra~·t as ln eou:theruJ.t.o:rn Id&ho.. !he · nable phoaph te zon~a; in most ot the western psrt ot the i._ield yet ~oUJld are- those ot the up pur phosphe. t e ·.One along the h7oming 'borde-r_; they contaiD 0.015 to o.o,;; percent urani~. ara r a~ric to t , e 'Weateru -part of th tield. B0c. use or the tight Clo i c -:!t&Jl}.'d.ng and, in SC'me places, de'tailed This ia inot. . ettuae the r11de aiYl thio.knas l . d.i .f!leW.t to establish, but t in uaanr plftcee i t i s nnerall7 a. oot ·lueatle a vhe her e>'r not the ph.o phatic beds ttr tau~lted out, or eo ah$d b7· toldln& a to be usm.iaable. The followiDfl eet1ma.toe rtre therefore ·no thr.t.n in-die tlea of tb general orde.r ot me. it-ude or rettenea. Prelit!inary st1d in -O~flplet eetl~ta ot of phoephate · rock suitable f or ·mining in em1an reeks o£ t,he wee~MJ f iel4 1/ (milliontt of s-hort tone.) f. JL"t l'05 24-'l' r2os Sui tabl onl,.v ror underpoow:ad _,-mln&na sJirx .J.v:elJ .j. Jl~ P20; 35o-1.ooo l/ The -;ates are c£ :rt~ck in the grou.ud; no ello~~oe is t"lade for loss du tG ilutt.on or unr vora:ble s-truoturtl.l eond! tions be:yond t hose that etn 'be i ud ed f'ro~:; our! ,j.Qe outcrops . M 1 :u~ ~ini:eg width is as to be ) f ee·t in both op n:-au.t ·and und.er round tUning. The inialam t1 ur . stated f'or ch. class is baaed upon eeti~ates of deposita
wtth whi.eh the Geological .. :urve.r !s re111u; the uxill11Dl figw ia a to the tot al reaerree, inol ud!ng tbos that maJ exiat 1n area. as t lerg ly unappn.iMd: eftll 111 pre11aiftiU7 ttutbion .It 1" nc·t po-srd.ble to e,stlmate t uranium content of' reeene ac~ur.e.teq , but it ia aa.fo to aaume th t. the tulk of tbe phoap:bate rock con · irla at l eaat o.oos percent and t:J.Ol percent urard.um. Status ot the 0$-ologi.cal SUFveys 1n atig:at1.ontt ot t he 'W -stem phosphate field The Get,l t.)goal Survq has ,af . .. d t an appraisal ot the reso-urce of th Phosphor! fomation ot a t-7Pe that \1111 en ble ove~at to eval te 1 t . r s.ouree-potential, net onl: aJ regards tran1 . , hut phottphate, v adiua and oth r !110%" element. ae ·v ll; that wlll allow iaduetr7 to · a pre.l1~1ury .s loc,t1on o deposi ta ni~nbla tor 'blinfn aDd that vill eneoura~re th · .. , panic1 to re-co .r eleunts · or· poaalbl by-product value. ltho!lgli our purpoa s are tbue -ucb broa4ep· tbu thoa of the Ato ic l:,nergy Co1 $~1on, which baa f!'tl.id t'bout a third of' the eoet ot wrk re~ u.ired to a ieve the go la of both .qenc1es 'l.s about th.e -In o er vorda, the deposit. · be ttutpped eap.led, no uttu whether the earob 11 tor one e.lement or \venty. We or1g1rutllf pltUUled to ·up (oa a .Ot!.le et 1;62,500} e¥ ry t-18._ rangle in the w stem t1 ld koowA to cont.raih phosphate·· to re-mgp. (ol'l a s-c le of lal2,0f';O) tbOJhl· area co.ntainin.g t he eat. valuable· cep-oaitSJ . · Intom .tion acquired. will net carve &a a basi fo-r ~~eatntr'.lng r!'jserw.s or f'or planning :rpeclfie ~ini01 operoatlon.s . Tbe detailed · appl.ng, drl.lling, and a~ling n~a~JaJ7 t er that must done lq' 1ndustrr. not government. · '
" ' ,. deeoribed, t.~-e stplf*meant der~os1 .. ts a.pJ.ieBr to 11-e only in the WfiJ.tera part of tlle tleld. , V$ !atQrl:d to eont!.nu$ tke orig-inal though we will ~~l!lple .fl. tew addtt1onal sections at vtdaly apn.eed interv.ua in the eastern part ot the tlel u (in ~..J:m north.ern. Utah) to plaee 011r prelinalruu:··1 oonelusiona as to t.be merits of ~"''e deposits ther 011 a f1r~er footing. After the elottt of th$ 1949 or w will. continue qudrangle mapping at the rate ·of' *l.bout one party a eeason ( 1. e. one quadr~ngle every two or ·three yeara). all o.t the ltl2, OfJO ma:ppi.ng ( oon:templa ted only in the Ae:pen :ff.~nttein :<ontana) likely \.:ill be co:.:;pl~t~ the end o.t tbe 1973 sea.son. Much .n:ore tt e, posstbl7 tvo years vill be to eo,mt."Jl~te all Jun.e 17, 1949
United States Department Of The Interior Geological Survey
' Missoul~ ' ) " w MONTANA.
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' ' ' IDAHO Pocatello ' UTAH
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THE WESTERN PHOSPHATE FIELD 'WYOMINti
0 nand r ' ' Phosphate in the Phosphoria formation and close stratigraphic equivalents extends over stippled a!reao Minable deposits containing more than 31 percent P205 are limited to heavily stippled areao Boundary between areas of simple and complex structure shown by heavy dashed lineo