Editing Phosphorite (section)

===Uses===
Approximately 90% of rock phosphate production is used for [[fertilizer]] and animal feed supplements and the balance for industrial chemicals.<ref name="fao"/> In addition, phosphorus from rock phosphate is also used in food preservatives, baking flour, pharmaceuticals, anticorrosion agents, cosmetics, fungicides, insecticides, detergents, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy.<ref name="AIMR Report 2013">{{cite report |last= Britt |first= Allison |chapter-url= https://d28rz98at9flks.cloudfront.net/78988/78988_AIMR_2013.pdf |chapter=Phosphate |title= AIMR Report 2013 |page= 90}}</ref>

For use in the [[chemical fertilizer]] industry, beneficiated rock phosphate must be concentrated to levels of at least 28% phosphorus pentoxide (P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>), although most marketed grades of phosphate rock are 30% or more.<ref name="fao"/>

It must also have reasonable amounts of calcium carbonate (5%), and <4% combined [[iron]] and [[aluminium]] oxides.{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}} Worldwide, the resources of high-grade ore are declining, and use of lower grade ore may become more attractive.<ref name="fao"/>

Beneficiated rock phosphate is also marketed and accepted as an [[Organic agriculture|"organic"]] alternative to "chemical" phosphate fertilizer which has been further concentrated from it, because it is perceived as being more "natural". According to a report for the FAO, it can be more [[Sustainable agriculture|sustainable]] to apply rock phosphate as a fertilizer in certain soil types and countries, although it has many drawbacks. According to the report it may have higher sustainability compared to more concentrated fertilizers because of reduced manufacturing costs and the possibility of local procurement of the refined ore.<ref name="fao"/>

Rare earth elements are being found within phosphorites. With increasing demand from modern technology a different method of finding rare earth elements, independent of China, is becoming increasingly important. With yields greater than those from deposits in China, phosphorites offer a new resource located within the U.S. that would likely lead to independence from influence of countries outside of the U.S.<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1016/j.gr.2014.10.008 | title=Rare earth elements in sedimentary phosphate deposits: Solution to the global REE crisis? | year=2015 | last1=Emsbo | first1=Poul | last2=McLaughlin | first2=Patrick I. | last3=Breit | first3=George N. | last4=Du Bray | first4=Edward A. | last5=Koenig | first5=Alan E. | journal=Gondwana Research | volume=27 | issue=2 | pages=776–785 | bibcode=2015GondR..27..776E | doi-access=free }}</ref>