Bone Valley

The Bone Valley is nicknamed for a region of central Florida, in which dinosaur fossils were discovered in the early 1900's. Today, the area is highly prized as a source of phosphate used in the production of commercial-grade agricultural fertilizer. Florida currently contains the largest deposits of phosphate in the United States.

Related Topics:
Florida - Dinosaur - 1900's - Phosphate - Fertilizer - United States

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Bone Valley phosphate is mined in open pits using large electric-powered draglines. This raw ore is then piped as a slurry to washing plants, where it is cleansed of contaminents and other impurities, and shipped by rail to the processing plants, where it is often combined with other chemicals, among them sulphur and anhydrous ammonia to create the fertilizer.

Related Topics:
Dragline - Ore - Slurry - Rail - Sulphur - Anhydrous ammonia

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Much of the processed fertilizer is again shipped by rail to Tampa Bay's Rockport facility, where it is transloaded onto ships for export to such countries such as China.

Related Topics:
Tampa Bay - Rockport - China

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Fertilizer intended for domestic use (known throughout the industry as 'Interior') is assembled into long trains of covered hopper cars for northbound movement.

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It is worth noting that the CSX railroad is exclusively responsible for the shipment of phosphate products within and out of the Bone Valley.

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