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The Position of the Pebble Phosphate Industry of Florida in Stream Sanitation as of November, 1949 R. B. Fuller, Manager Florida Phosphate Division International Minerals and Chemical Corporation Mulberry, Florida In order to better understand the problem that the phosphate in¬ dustry in Florida faces in regard to stream sanitation, it is perhaps well to outline briefly the probable source of the phosphate deposits as advanced by our geologist. The ultimate source of phosphorous dates back to the birth of the earth itself, millions and millions of years ago. Molten rocks cooling from vast mountain-building pressures and intrusions solidified into granitoid and gneissic rocks containing small amounts of apatite, a tricalcium fluophosphate mineral. Exposed to the elements, the rocks slowly rotted and were washed into streams, and finally most of the minerals were completely dissolved and the chemical elements, includ- the phosphorous, took their place in the oceans. The history of the present phosphate particles begins at least ten or fifteen million years ago. Billions and trillions of these little pellets were formed in a sea similar to the present Gulf of Mexico, possibly as sealife excreta, or as inorganic precipitations from the sea water. As the pellets formed, calcium carbonate, or limestone, was also precipi¬ tating and some quartz sand was being washed in from the shorelines. In addition to the phosphates there were thousands of other species of sea life which withdrew the calcium carbonate from the water to build their shells and bodies and which contributed largely to the forma¬ tion of the limestone. Many large marine mammals abounded and left their phosphatic teeth and bones. As the sediments slowly accumulated, their weight caused compaction and a very gradual sinking of the sea floor until a thickness of more than 200 feet of rock accumulated. Some layers were highly phosphatic, some were almost pure limestone, some were almost all sand, depending on the major source of sediment for 366
Object Description
Purdue Identification Number | ETRIWC194936 |
Title | Position of the pebble phosphate industry of Florida in stream sanitation as of November, 1949 |
Author | Fuller, R. B. |
Date of Original | 1949 |
Conference Title | Proceedings of the fifth Industrial Waste Conference |
Conference Front Matter (copy and paste) | http://earchives.lib.purdue.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/engext&CISOPTR=10924&REC=14 |
Extent of Original | p. 366-371 |
Collection Title | Engineering Technical Reports Collection, Purdue University |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Rights Statement | Digital object copyright Purdue University. All rights reserved. |
Language | eng |
Type (DCMI) | text |
Format | JP2 |
Date Digitized | 2008-05-18 |
Capture Device | Fujitsu fi-5650c |
Capture Details | ScandAll21 |
Resolution | 300 ppi |
Color Depth | 8 bit |
Description
Title | page 366 |
Date of Original | 1949 |
Collection Title | Engineering Technical Reports Collection, Purdue University |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Rights Statement | Digital object copyright Purdue University. All rights reserved. |
Language | eng |
Type (DCMI) | text |
Format | JP2 |
Capture Device | Fujitsu fi-5650c |
Capture Details | ScandAll21 |
Transcript | The Position of the Pebble Phosphate Industry of Florida in Stream Sanitation as of November, 1949 R. B. Fuller, Manager Florida Phosphate Division International Minerals and Chemical Corporation Mulberry, Florida In order to better understand the problem that the phosphate in¬ dustry in Florida faces in regard to stream sanitation, it is perhaps well to outline briefly the probable source of the phosphate deposits as advanced by our geologist. The ultimate source of phosphorous dates back to the birth of the earth itself, millions and millions of years ago. Molten rocks cooling from vast mountain-building pressures and intrusions solidified into granitoid and gneissic rocks containing small amounts of apatite, a tricalcium fluophosphate mineral. Exposed to the elements, the rocks slowly rotted and were washed into streams, and finally most of the minerals were completely dissolved and the chemical elements, includ- the phosphorous, took their place in the oceans. The history of the present phosphate particles begins at least ten or fifteen million years ago. Billions and trillions of these little pellets were formed in a sea similar to the present Gulf of Mexico, possibly as sealife excreta, or as inorganic precipitations from the sea water. As the pellets formed, calcium carbonate, or limestone, was also precipi¬ tating and some quartz sand was being washed in from the shorelines. In addition to the phosphates there were thousands of other species of sea life which withdrew the calcium carbonate from the water to build their shells and bodies and which contributed largely to the forma¬ tion of the limestone. Many large marine mammals abounded and left their phosphatic teeth and bones. As the sediments slowly accumulated, their weight caused compaction and a very gradual sinking of the sea floor until a thickness of more than 200 feet of rock accumulated. Some layers were highly phosphatic, some were almost pure limestone, some were almost all sand, depending on the major source of sediment for 366 |
Resolution | 300 ppi |
Color Depth | 8 bit |
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