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Phosphate Rock Plants: New Source Performance Standards

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Rule Summary

Standards of performance for phosphate rock plants were proposed in the Federal Register on September 21, 1979 (44 FR 54970). These standards implement the Clean Air Act and are based on the Administrator's determination that emissions from phosphate rock plants contribute significantly to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.

The separation of phosphate rock from impurities and nonphosphate materials for use in fertilizer manufacture consists of beneficiation, drying or calcining at some operations, and grinding. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for phosphate rock processing is 1475. The 6-digit Source Classification Code (SCC) for phosphate rock processing is 3-05-019.

Because the primary use of phosphate rock is in the manufacture of phosphatic fertilizer, only those phosphate rock processing operations associated with fertilizer manufacture are discussed here. Florida and North Carolina accounted for 94 percent of the domestic phosphate rock mined and 89 percent of the marketable phosphate rock produced during 1989. Other states in which phosphate rock is mined and processed include Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Tennessee.

Rule History

04/16/1982 - Final Rule.

09/21/1979 - Proposed Rule and Announcement of Public Hearing.

Additional Resources

Background Information Document

Related Rules

Phosphate Fertilizer Industry: New Source Performance Standards

Phosphate Fertilizer Production Plants and Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants