posted on 2024-06-21, 04:09authored byDavid Manhire, Stuart Ford, Ann Moriarty, Jon Manhire
New Zealand has accessible, on-shore sources of phosphate, finds this report.
There are known phosphate deposits in Clarendon, Otago (containing at least 1.6Mt of phosphate ore) and in North Canterbury and Kaikoura (containing a potential combined 10--20 Mt). There are also likely deposits in South Canterbury and Waitaki.
The carbon footprint for domestically sourced phosphorus would be approximately half that of imported material.
The quarrying process for phosphate rock has similar environmental effects to that of limestone.
Funding
Funded by the New Zealand Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment's Our Land and Water National Science Challenge (Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai) as part of project Rural Professionals Fund 2023–24