What is the main use of phosphate?

What is the main use of phosphate?

Phosphate rock is processed to produce phosphorous, which is one of the three main nutrients most commonly used in fertilizers (the other two are nitrogen and potassium). Phosphate can also be turned into phosphoric acid, which is used in everything from food and cosmetics to animal feed and electronics.

What is the mineral resources in Senegal?

Overview of Resources Senegal is one of the top producers of phosphate rock in the world. The country also produces other mineral commodities such as gold, laterite, basalt, cement, lime, limestone, clays natural gas, petroleum, salt, and sand. Phosphate mining plays a major role in its export industry.

What natural resources does Senegal have?

Natural resources: Fish, peanuts, phosphate, iron ore, gold, titanium. Industries: Agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials.

What is the main source of income in Senegal?

The economy of Senegal is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fishing and agriculture, which are the main sources of employment in rural areas, despite abundant natural resources in iron, zircon, gas, gold, phosphates, and numerous oil discoveries recently.

Where are the mines in Senegal?

Sabodala is a large-scale gold mine located in the West African Birimian geological belt. It is situated approximately 404 miles (650km) east of Dakar, the capital city of Senegal.

Why is Senegal so poor?

Decline in economic growth, especially during 2005 to 2011, can be attributed to drought, floods, rising fuel prices and the global financial crisis. The World Bank reported that Senegal’s GDP growth is too low for significant poverty reduction. The fertility rate in Senegal is almost 4.5 children per woman.

Which sport is very popular in Senegal?

football
Wrestling has become the number one national sport in Senegal, ahead of football (soccer), and has also become a means of social ascendance. Wrestling is not just seen as a sport, it is also a slice of African life, tradition, and culture, in which there is a curious mix of animist and Muslim beliefs.

What is phosphate used for in manufacturing?

Most phosphorus is used to make phosphoric acid of high purity necessary for some food processing and for etching semi-conductors. Elemental phosphorus is also used to manufacture other chemical intermediates (products used in the manufacturing processes for other chemical products).

What are phosphate fertilizers used for?

Phosphorus, along with nitrogen and potassium, is one of three key nutrients that plants need and the main ingredient in phosphate fertilizer. Maintaining proper levels helps a plant acquire and store energy, as well as transfer it throughout the plant.

Where are the phosphate deposits in Senegal?

The eastern section of the Senegal Sedimentary Basin hosts high significance phosphate deposits, in proximity to Mali and Mauritania. The probable mineral reserves of the Senegalese project are estimated to be 39.3 million tonnes (Mt), grading 18.9% phosphorus pentoxide (P 2 O 5 ).

What are the major natural resources of Senegalese?

Senegal is one of the leading producers of phosphates in the world, accounting for about 6% of exports in 2006, and deposits are of a particularly high quality. In the coastal region of the country, titanium-bearing minerals have been found and the reserve is estimated at 10 million tons.

What is the history of phosphate mining in South Africa?

The phosphate industry began to be exploited in the 1940s and 1950s, when two large phosphate mines at Taiba and Lam-Lam in the Thies Region began operations. Less authorised mining in the country is the illegal removal of sand. The sand is obtained close to the country’s coast by builders.

What is the baobab phosphate project?

The Baobab phosphate project is a high-grade phosphate rock project located approximately 140km from Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, West Africa. Avenira is upgrading the existing Gadde Bissik beneficiation plant as part of the Baobab phosphate expansion project.