Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining

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Overview of Phosphate Rock and Potash Mining and BeneficiationFollowing beneficiation, the concentrated phosphaterock is stockpiled prior to transport to downstreamprocessing plants for the manufacture of phosphatemineral fertilizers. In some instances, phosphate rockwith suitable properties may be directly applied tocrops as a soil amendment by farmers.Wet screening - IMC Phosphate, Florida, USAPhosphate fertilizer plant, Conda, USA - Agrium Inc., Canada8Grinding mills - Fosfertil, BrazilGenerally, the major waste streams produced duringphosphate rock beneficiation are clay fines, sand tailingsand significant quantities of process water.Magnetite tailings may also be associated with igneousorebodies. These are disposed of by a number ofmeans including discharge to rivers or other waterbodies, and disposal to engineered storage dams, ormined-out areas. The process water may be recoveredand reused.Flotation tanks - IMC Phosphate, FloridaThe presence of carbonates in the form of dolomiteand calcite may cause downstream processing problemsand may reduce the quality of the end product.They are primarily removed through the use of calcinationfollowed by slaking with water to remove theCaO and MgO produced.Iron minerals may be present in the form of magnetite,hematite and goethite. These are typicallyremoved through scrubbing and size classification, ormagnetic separation.Decantation of clarified water - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USA
Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash MiningClay settling pond - Cargill Fertilizers Inc., USADrying plant - Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP),Khouribga, MoroccoSurface Mining and Beneficiation Operations inMoroccoPhosphate rock mining and beneficiation are illustratedby the operations of Office Chérifien desPhosphates (OCP) in Morocco.At the Khouribga and Benguerir opencast draglinemining operations in Morocco, the overburden is initiallydrilled and blasted. Bulldozers prepare thesurface for draglines to remove the broken overburdenand expose the ore. The ore is excavated withoutblasting into trucks using smaller draglines, shovels orfront-end loaders. The trucks transport the ore to ascreening plant for the separation and disposal of theoversize low-grade material followed by stockpiling.The screened ore is reclaimed from the stockpile andtransferred by conveyor to the beneficiation plant.Theore is washed and dried to remove clay fines and insome instances is subjected to calcination, to producea concentrated phosphate rock.The concentrated phosphate rock is transported byrail either to the industrial complexes located at JorfLasfar and Safi for further processing, or directly toport for export.Sizing and stockpile plant - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, MoroccoConveyor and stacker - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, MoroccoLoading phosphate rock - Office Chérifien des Phosphates(OCP), Khouribga, Morocco
Page 1: Environmental Aspects ofPhosphate a
Page 4 and 5: AcknowledgementsA number of people
Page 6 and 7: PrefaceThis report on the environme
Page 8 and 9: Introduction2During recent decades,
Page 10 and 11: Introduction4Figure1.2The mineral f
Page 12 and 13: Overview of Phosphate Rock and Pota
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Page 42 and 43: ClosureThe Environmental Approach o
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AppendicesAppendix E. AcronymsAcron
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Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining

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