phosphate, page-2

back to the ihp demo plant and its importance. This is taken from the 2012 Mineral yearbook for India, finalized this month. (The future outlook is worth a read)

"There is no substitute for phosphorus in agriculture. The country is deficient in all fertilizer minerals. The reserves of chemical and fertilizer grades apatite and rock phosphate in India are very limited."

"In India, most of the existing phosphatic fertilizer and phosphoric acid plants have been designed for high grade imported rock phosphate, mainly from Morocco and Jordan. The Indian deposits are of low grade. Therefore, the fertilizer and phosphoric acid plants that may be set up as replacement of the existing plants will have to be designed to accept indigenous ores as a feed. Beneficiation of domestic low grade ores would be a step in the right direction and should be promoted indigenously."

Also the article helps to explain NMDC ill fated jv with mak.

ibm.nic.in/IMYB_2012_Apatite%20&%20Rock%20Phospate.pdf