5 Questions
What is the chief application of phosphate minerals?
Constituents of fertilisers
What is the major constituent of all vertebrates' skeletons and some invertebrates' hard parts?
Phosphate minerals
Where do phosphate minerals occur?
Sedimentary rocks ranging from Precambrian to Holocene
What is the essential constituent of all living matter, both plant and animal?
Phosphorus
What is the most famous group of sedimentary phosphate minerals?
Apatite group
Study Notes
Phosphate Minerals
- The chief application of phosphate minerals is in the production of fertilizers, detergents, and special glasses.
Biological Importance
- Phosphorus, a major constituent of all vertebrates' skeletons and some invertebrates' hard parts, is an essential component of bones and teeth.
- Phosphorus is the essential constituent of all living matter, both plant and animal, playing a crucial role in DNA, RNA, and ATP molecules.
Occurrence
- Phosphate minerals occur in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, with sedimentary deposits being the largest source of phosphate minerals.
Notable Phosphate Minerals
- The apatite group is the most famous group of sedimentary phosphate minerals, comprising fluorapatite, chlorapatite, and hydroxyapatite.
Test your knowledge about phosphate minerals, their significance in fertilisers and chemical industry, and their potential as a source rock for oilfields. Explore their occurrence in sedimentary rocks and their extraction for uranium, vanadium, and rare earths.
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