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Phosphate mineral

Nickel–Strunz 9 ed mineral class number 8 (isolated tetrahedral units, mainly)

  • 8 min read
  • 3 chapters
Apatite crystal
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Through Mineral, Chloride and Hydroxide

The phosphate class of minerals is a large and diverse group, however, only a few species are relatively common.

Applications

Phosphate rock, which contains high concentrations of apatite-group minerals, serves as the primary economic source for phosphorus extraction. The majority of mined phosphate minerals are utilized in the agricultural industry for the production of fertilizers and animal feed supplements. Beyond agriculture, these minerals are employed in industrial applications including water treatment, metallurgy, food preservation, ceramics, and cosmetics. Additionally, phosphate compounds are commonly utilized in electrochemical conversion coatings to control rust and inhibit corrosion on ferrous materials.

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