Efficiency, economics, and environmental implications of ...
A total of 31.67 Tg of P 2 O 5 (equivalent to 13.83 Tg P) was mined as rock phosphate. More than half of this rock phosphate (15.90 Tg) was discarded and dumped in order to produce 6.81 Tg of commercially applicable refined ore without beneficiation by small mines (RUE 1-2 = 30%).