Chapter 7 Spatial and Temporal Controls

on the Formation of Phosphate Deposits - A Review

PETER J. COOK

Introduction

Phosphorus is present in most rocks in minor to trace quantities ranging from an

average P 20 5 content of 0.04% in sandstone to 0.4% in intermediate igneous rocks
(McKelvey 1973). It is only in phosphate rock that the P 20 5 content is high enough
for it to constitute a phosphate ore, attaining values as high as 40% P 20 5 1 in some
rocks. The lower limit of what is designated a phosphate rock depends on the na-
ture of the rock and the available technology but rocks with phosphate contents
as low as 4% P 20 5 may constitute a phosphate rock in some circumstances. Phos-
phate rock occurs in deposits ranging in size from a few tons to many billions
of tons. The phosphate is almost invariably in the form of apatite - generally
fluorapatite Ca 5 (P0 4 hF, or carbonate fluorapatite which Altschuler (1973) repre-
sents by the approximate formula Ca lO (P0 4 )6-x(C0 3 MF, OHh+x. Less com-
monly it occurs as minerals such as crandallite (CaAI 3 (P0 4 h(OH)s· H 20),
vivianite (Fe 3 (P0 4 h· 8H 20), brushite (CaHP0 4 • 2H 20), and whitlockite
(Ca 3(P0 4 h). Most of these and other similar minerals form as secondary weather-
ing products (Altschuler 1973) and seldom constitute an economic-phosphate de-
posit in their own right. The weathering of phosphate deposits is not only scientifi-
cally interesting, it can also be economically important, for many deposits are
markedly upgraded by weathering. In some cases the phosphate is remobilized by
weathering, then reprecipitated to form a deposit of secondary phosphate or pho-
screte. In other instances the upgrading of the deposits results from the leaching
of more soluble components, especially carbonates, to leave a residual phosphate.
However, this paper will not be concerned with the nature and distribution of these
residual or weathered deposits to any extent but will focus on the primary deposits
of which there are three main types - igneous, guano, and sedimentary. This paper
will examine the spatial, and where possible the temporal distribution of these three
types. The sedimentary deposits will be examined in greater detail, not only be-
cause of their complexity, wide distribution and great scientific importance, but al-
so because they provide the majority of current world phosphate rock production
and most of the world phosphate rock reserves.

I The phosphate content of phosphate rock is generally quoted at %P 2 0 S • Other forms quoted include
%BPL (bone phosphate of lime) and %P. Conversion factors are: %P 2 0 S x 2.1853 = %BPL;
%P20S x 0.4364= %P

Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia;
Address now: Division of Continental Geology, Bureau of Mineral Resoures, Canberra, Australia
J. O. Nriagu et al. (eds.), Photosphate Minerals
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1984
 Igneous Deposits 243

60"

30"

-30"

.2
• Alkaline igneous rocks
Igneous apatite deposits
-60 0
.3Maiar igneous apatite deposits producing
I million tonnes or more of phosphate rock
per annum
-60 0 0"

Fig. I. Distribution of alkaline igneous rocks and igneous apatite deposits. Due to the abundance of
alkalic complexes in some areas not all can be shown. Distribution compiled from Tuttle and Gittins
(1966), Deans (1968), Sorensen (1974), Notholt (1979a, b), and Erdosh (1979). Important deposits are
numbered as follows: 1 Araxa, Brazil; 2 Tapira, Brazil; 3 Jacupiranga, Brazil; 4 Palabora, South Africa;
5 Glendower, South Africa; 6 Dorowa, Zimbabwe; 7 Tundulu, Malawi; 8 Sukulu, Uganda; 9 Siilinjar-
vi, Finland; 10 Sokli, Finland; 11 Khibiny and Kovdor, USSR; 12 Grangesberg, Sweden; 130shur-
kov, USSR; 14 Cargill, Canada; 15 Singhbhum, India; 16 Eppawalen, Sri Lanka

Igneous Deposits

Igneous phosphate deposits are geographically fairly widespread and range in age
from Precambrian to Tertiary. They are associated with alkaline intrusive plutonic
rocks, generally nepheline syenites, or carbonatites, or alkaline ultrabasic complex-
es, occurring mainly in plug-like bodies and ring complexes. Most associated phos-
phate deposits are small and non-commercial. However, a number are mined as
a source of phosphate rock (Fig. 1), and provide approximately 16% of total world
phosphate rock production (Howard 1979). Notholt (1979) estimates total world
resources of igneous phosphate rock at 6,000m tons averaging 4% P 2 0 5 or
more. By far the largest of these igneous deposits, with reserves of 2,700 m tons
of ore, is that of Khibiny in the northern part of the Soviet Union (Fig. 1), with
an annual production of about 16 m tons of phosphate rock concentrate with
an average grade of 18% P 2 0 5 . The apatite is associated mainly with a zone of
layered ijolites. The Palabora deposit of South Africa, which has reserves of 600 m
tonnes is currently providing about 3 m tonnes of phosphate rock concentrate per
annum, with an average grade of around 36% P 205' This deposit is associated with
a carbonatite plug which grades into the main ore zones of magnetite-olivine-