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How do we estimate phosphate resources?
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How do we estimate phosphate resources?
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thedoc
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How do we estimate phosphate resources?
«
on:
01/04/2012 10:01:02 »
Steve Poole asked the Naked Scientists:
Dear Sir,
Where does the figure of over 300 years of phosphate resources come from? Internet sites give the figure of 25 years.
Yours Sincerely,
Stephen Poole.
Environmental Technician,(retired).
Institute for the Promotion of Industry, (France).
What do you think?
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Last Edit: 01/04/2012 10:01:02 by _system
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CliffordK
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Re: How do we estimate phosphate resources?
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15/05/2012 05:49:18 »
The estimates that I'm seeing are all over the board.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_phosphorus
Conservative estimates might put peak phosphate production in the next 20 years or so, with reserves lasting 50 to 100 years.
More liberal estimates by the International Fertilizer Development Center puts it out a few hundred years, but that might be in part politically motivated.
I have been using a multi component fertilizer on my garden including Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and Sulfur. Perhaps a better alternative would be to actually do soil testing and use a custom formulated fertilizer, or develop fertilizer-free farming practices.
What about soaps and detergents. Perhaps as a "finite resource" critical to agriculture, phosphate detergents should be permanently banned.
Unfortunately, very little discussion has been made about "Peak Agriculture" or "Peak Food". Much of our agriculture is based on fossil fuels including sulfur and potassium from ash, and ammonia derived from reactions with fossil fuels. When will non-renewable resources limit our food production?
Back to the question.
I did look up mineral prevalence in the crust.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Earth%27s_crust
According to Wikipedia, Phosphorous is the 11
th
most abundant mineral in Earth's crust. Nearly the same as Hydrogen, and greater than carbon, chlorine, nitrogen, and sulfur. Does that include the oceans and atmosphere?
However, in the distant future, our access to the phosphorous will undoubtedly be different.
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