Phosphorus as the Strategic Natural Resource of the 21st Century

... riots spurred by mass hunger. In this regard, low land productivity limited social equality and economic growth. The problem of food security centered on the resolution of this conflict between civilization growth and the limited productivity of arable land.... ... by themselves do not reflect the pressing issue at stake. What is indeed significant is how much we consume, and how we use phosphates. Of the 140 million tons of phosphate ore mined annually, only 40 per cent is used in nutrient phosphates. The prevalent ...