Phosphate
About Phosphate
Phosphate rock is the sole significant source of phosphorus, an essential nutrient for all life and a key component of agricultural fertilizers that support global food security. Morocco holds the world's largest reserves by a wide margin. Phosphate is also gaining importance as the cathode material in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries increasingly adopted in electric vehicles.
Primary Uses
Top Producing Countries
Quick Facts
- Symbol
- PO4
- Category
- Industrial Mineral
- Criticality Level
- Medium
- Supply Risk
- Medium
- Top Producer
- China
- USGS Critical List
- Not Listed
- EU CRM List
- Listed
Explore Phosphate In Depth
Dive into detailed analysis across 11 key topics covering every aspect of the Phosphate value chain.
Uses & Applications
Discover the primary industrial, technological, and commercial applications of Phosphate across key sectors.
Supply Chain
Trace the Phosphate supply chain from mine to market, including key intermediaries, processing hubs, and trade flows.
Mining & Processing
Learn how Phosphate is extracted, concentrated, and processed into usable forms for downstream industries.
Refining & Grade Specs
Explore the refining methods, purity grades, and technical specifications that define Phosphate products.
Recycling
Assess the recycling potential, current recovery rates, and circular economy opportunities for Phosphate.
Substitutes
Evaluate possible substitutes and alternative materials that could reduce dependence on Phosphate.
Investing
Understand the investment landscape for Phosphate, including equities, ETFs, futures, and direct exposure strategies.
Price
Analyze Phosphate pricing mechanisms, historical trends, benchmarks, and the factors that drive market volatility.
Companies
Identify the major miners, processors, and technology companies involved in the Phosphate value chain.
Projects
Review the significant mining and processing projects shaping the future supply of Phosphate worldwide.
Risks
Examine the supply risks, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and strategic concerns associated with Phosphate.
Return to the full Mineral Library to explore other critical and strategic minerals.