Phosphate rock: Relationships
Every element and industry that Phosphate rock is linked to, and how. Each pair has its own card explaining the relationships between the two.
- Ammonia: DAP, a leading phosphate fertiliser, is phosphoric acid from phosphate rock neutralised with ammonia, about 0.22 t of ammonia per tonne, so the two are co-inputs whose costs add up in the finished product, and India imports a large share of both. (researched)
- Potash: Phosphate and potash are the P and K of fertiliser: almost all of both goes to farms, neither has a substitute as a plant nutrient, and India buys both mostly from abroad under one subsidy scheme, so their demand and policy move together even though their mines are in different countries. (researched)
- DAP and MAP: DAP and MAP are the main products made from phosphate rock: each tonne of DAP needs about 1.5 to 2 tonnes of rock, turned into phosphoric acid and reacted with ammonia. Rock supply is concentrated in China and Morocco, and India, the largest DAP importer, depends on imports for about 90% of its rock. (researched)
- Lithium iron phosphate batteries: Every LFP cathode needs purified phosphoric acid made from phosphate rock, so the rise of LFP has created a new, high-purity demand that competes with fertiliser for the best rock. The volumes are still small against fertiliser, but they are concentrated in China, which also mines most phosphate. (researched)
- Phosphoric acid: Phosphoric acid is the step through which almost all mined phosphate reaches fertiliser: rock is dissolved in sulphuric acid, and roughly three tonnes of rock go into each tonne of P2O5. Integrated producers turn most of their rock into acid before it leaves the country, as with over 95% of US-mined rock in 2025, while India imports rock, acid and DAP. (researched)
- Sulphuric acid: Sulphuric acid is the reagent that unlocks phosphate rock: it dissolves the rock into phosphoric acid and leaves four to five tonnes of gypsum per tonne of P2O5. Phosphate fertiliser is the largest use of sulphur, so sulphur and acid price spikes go straight into phosphate costs. (researched)
- Herbicides: Phosphate rock is a raw material for herbicides; their prices have moved together.
- Battery cathode materials: Phosphate rock is a raw material for battery cathode materials.
- Flame retardants: Phosphate rock is a raw material for flame retardants.
- Food and beverage processing: Food and beverage processing depends on phosphate rock.
- Insecticides: Their prices have moved together.
- Wood products: Wood products depends on phosphate rock.