Phosphate rock

What it is

Phosphate rock is the source of phosphorus for fertilisers — and increasingly for LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery cathodes.

Why it matters

Morocco holds around 70% of global reserves. There is no substitute for phosphorus in agriculture: every plant needs it.

Circular challenges

Whether phosphate rock re-enters the economy at end-of-life is mostly settled at the design stage. These are the recurring blockers.

• Cadmium contamination

  Many phosphate ores carry cadmium; EU fertiliser rules cap cadmium content, restricting which sources can be used directly.

• Runoff into oceans

  Phosphorus applied to fields washes into rivers and the sea — a one-way loss of a non-renewable resource.

• Recovery from wastewater

  Struvite recovery from sewage treatment can return phosphorus to the cycle, but few utilities operate it at scale.