[?]cean Is. Phosphate is

Phosphate Plus

r a report which appeared in a Sydney newspaper in April is correct, Ocean Island phosphate ntains vital “trace elements” iich are totally lacking in the osphate of Nauru Island, only ) miles away.

According to the report, Mr. R.

Vickery, a Melbourne research *mist, took test samples from a ge number of shipments of osphate rock from both islands, check whether they contained the called trace elements. He found it Ocean Island samples con ned constant amounts, and that uru phosphate contained none all. Soil researchers have long own that minute traces of ladium, molybdenum, zinc, >per, and manganese have an portant effect on land pro 3tivity. Lands deficient in lybdenum have been able to ry from twice to ten times as ny sheep per acre by the olication of an ounce of lybdenum to the acre. >cean Island phosphate could irefore have a most beneficial “ct on such soils —though if the I already contains the necessary

trace elements Nauru phosphate would be satisfactory for such areas. , , Alternatively, shipments o f Nauru phosphate may have the missing elements added during the processing into super-phosphate, the form in which it is applied to the land. The deficiency is probably not important therefore, but why it should exist when the two islands are of similar formation, have similar climates, and lie com paratively close together geographi cally. is a poser that scientists have not yet solved.