The Elements of economic geology

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1773832379

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-172798

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Gregory, John W. http://d-nb.info/gnd/11683014X

Title:: The Elements of economic geology

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Methuen

Year of publication:: 1928

Scope:: XIV, 312 S.; graph. Darst.

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part III. Earthy minerals

Collection:: Economics Books

THE MINERAL FERTILIZERS 205 The United States had for long the largest output of phosphate, with over 3% million tons in 1925; it has been surpassed by North Africa which in the same year yielded over 4,200,000 tons; the South Pacific Islands were third with 450,000 tons. Phosphatic fertilizers are of such value especially for cereals that anxiety has frequently been expressed as to the permanence of the supply. When President Rooseveldt aroused the United States to interest in the conservation of mineral resources, it was estimated that the available phosphates would only last twenty-five years. It was urged that export should be stopped so that America might not be drained of its indispensable phosphates for the benefit of the worn-out soils of Europe. Later investigations have shown that even if the output were trebled, America has enough high-grade phosphate to last for 1100 years, and Northern Africa has over 300,000,000 tons; so there is no fear of a phosphate famine. The present generation is no more to be blamed for using what it needs than were the Pheenicians for working the alluvial tin of Cornwall regardless of the future needs of the tinned meat trade. As minerals are irreplaceable, they should be used economically but also regardful of the commercial maxim, * If you have an asset, use it while you can.” The collapse of phosphate mining in England was due to the discovery of richer and more cheaply worked foreign deposits with which the English mines could not compete. If legislation had restricted the output of British phosphate to make the supply last longer, much of it would have been left unused, and Britain would have lost an addition to her capital and the profit derived from the manufacture of foreign phosphate.

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