The Action Plan to Make India Atmanirbhar in Rock Phosphate

Rock Phosphate

Phosphorite, rock phosphate, or phosphate rock, is a non-disposable sedimentary rock containing large amounts of phosphate minerals. The phosphate content of phosphate rock (or phosphate grade) varies widely from 4% to 20% phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5). Commercial phosphate rocks are enriched (“enriched”) with P2O5 of at least 28% and often more than 30%. This is done by cleaning, sieving, descaling, magnetic separation or flotation.

Limestone and mudstone are common phosphate-containing rocks. Phosphate-rich sedimentary rocks can occur in dark brown to black layers ranging from centimeter-sized to several meters thick. These thick formations may exist, but they are rarely composed solely of phosphate-containing sedimentary rocks. Phosphate-containing sedimentary rocks are usually accompanied or embedded by shale, chert, limestone, dolomite, and in some cases, sandstone.

Action Plan for making India atma nirbhar

At the event, Shri Mandaviya said, “I am satisfied that the Department of Fertilisers is prepared with an Action Plan to make India Atma Nirbhar in Rock Phosphate, the important uncooked cloth of DAP and NPK Fertilisers. By following the clarion name of `Atma Nirbhar Bharat` given via way of means of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is virtually marching toward accomplishing Aatmanirabharta in fertilisers withinside the time to come.”

An action plan has been developed to establish India Atma Nirbhar in fertiliser production through indigenous resources. Shri Mandaviya discontinues production from the existing 300,000 tonnes of MT phosphorus deposits available in Rajasthan, Hirapur (MP), Lalitpur (UP), Mussoorie Syncline and Cuddapah Basin (AP) in central India and is instructed to use it commercially and increase it. Exploration of potential potash ore resources in Satpura, Balthari and Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in Rajasthan through discussions and plans with the Ministry of Mines and Geological Survey of India Continues to accelerate. All departments will work together to start mining potential reserves as soon as possible. The action plan included measures to minimise import reliance on expensive commodities imported from abroad and to make them accessible and affordable to farmers.

Phosphate rock is the main source of DAP and NPK fertiliser, and India is 90% dependent on imports. Fluctuations in international prices affect the domestic prices of fertilisers and impede the progress and development of the domestic agricultural sector. As a result, Shri Mandaviya convened a meeting with stakeholders to accelerate the exploration and development of phosphate rock reserves available in India.

Does India import rock phosphate?

India imports about 1.1 million tons of phosphate from Morocco, which accounts for 22% of India’s total phosphate imports. India imports about 1.2 million tonnes of phosphoric acid from Morocco, accounting for about 50% of India’s total imports. The possibility of long-term measures such as establishing a joint venture in Morocco was also discussed. OCP provided Jorf Laufer’s Indian company with two lands to install the phosphate unit. India is also urged to contribute to the improvement of the rock phosphorus mining industry in order to increase its availability. OCP welcomed NMDC’s participation in this effort.

Where is rock phosphate found in India?

Total rock phosphate reserves/resources based on the UNFC system, according to NMI information on April 1, 2015, were set at 312.67 million tons. Of these, reserves are only 45.80, one million tons, 266,870,000 tons are below the remaining resource categories. Of total reserve / Resources, 34% are in Jharkhand and 31% are in Rajasthan, 19% in Madhya Pradesh, 8.ch in Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand. Lean amount of resources are in Gujarat, Meghalaya. Gradewise, low-grade accounts for 37%, followed by Beneficial (29%), Blendable (11%), chemical fertiliser and soil purification and remaining unclassified and unknown Grade (about 7%).

Based on NMI data based on the UNFC system as of April 1, 2015, the total reserves/resources of apatite are estimated to be 24.05 million tonnes. Of these resources, 030,000 tonnes are classified as reserves and 24.02 million tonnes are classified as the remaining resources. From the total in terms of reserves/resources, West Bengal is the majority with 57%, followed by Jharkhand (30%) and Meghalaya (5%). The remaining 8% of resources are in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Degree of a landfill in stages. It accounts for 53%, followed by qualified (28%), low Grade, ineligible (13%), and the remaining mixable unclassified and unknown grades (6%). The resources of chemical fertiliser types are over 1%.

Conclusion: 

India is one of the largest consumers of fertiliser. However, by importing phosphate raw materials / intermediate products such as phosphate rocks and phosphates, we cover most of the phosphate requirements. We import nearly 5 million tons of phosphate rock, 2.5 million tons of phosphoric acid, and 3 million tons of diammonium phosphate (DAP) annually. India produces 17.7% of the world’s DAP production, imports 23.6% of the world’s DAP trade, and consumes 28.1% of the world’s DAP consumption. India does not have domestic production of mono ammonium phosphate (MAP) and superphosphate (TSP), importing about 4% of the world’s MAP trade, accounting for 1.3% of the world’s consumption. Due to the very limited domestic production, India imports 17.9% of the world trade in phosphate. Domestic production of phosphoric acid in India accounts for 4.1% of world production and imports 54.4% of world trade phosphoric acid. Phosphate consumption in India accounts for 11.7% of the world’s consumption.