Australian Phosphate Discovery

Australia announced on April 1 that it had found its own deposits f phosphate—the first high-grade phosphate rock to be found on the lainland of Australia.

IE deposits are near the Rum Jungle uranium ore field in the them Territory. The discovery made last year when Australian itists were searching for further ssits of uranium near Rum Jungle, 'as found that certain rocks were itly radioactive, and a closer :k revealed that these samples ained phosphate. Four separate ipects of phosphate were found • a distance of two miles, and e may exist. joint announcement by the ister for National Development, dor W. H. Spooner, and the ister for Territories, Mr. Paul luck, said if the deposits should r e to be of commercial size and le they were particularly well ited for exploitation. They were

near road and rail, and close to the Rum Jungle treatment plant, which has facilities for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, the essential chemical used in producing superphosphate.

Work is now j ahead to estab . lish the size and potential of the phospha te discovery.

Practically all Australia’s present requirements are imported from Nauru, Ocean Island and Christmas Island. Australian, British and NZ scientists for some time have been surveying other Pacific Islands in the hope of obtaining more supplies before the Nauru and Ocean Island reserves are worked out in 30 to 40 years ( PIM , May, 1961, p. 49). Bel lona, BSIP, has appeared the most likely possibility so far.