WORLD PRODUCTION OF PHOSPHATE ROCK. 97 



been carried on only to a very limited extent in the northern and 

 central regions, and that by the open pit method. The total pro- 

 duction of phosphate in Russia during 191 1 was 10,200 tons, of 

 which Podolia produced 9,899 tons, Bessarabia 154 tons, and 

 Kurtz in the central region 147 tons. 



ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



Phosphate rock is obtained from a number of islands of the 

 Paci-fic Ocean, the largest producers at present being Ocean, Naura, 

 Anguar and Makatea islands. The shipments from these islands 

 go chiefly to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China, although, 

 owing to the high grade of the rock, a considerable demand is 

 found in European countries. 



Ocean Island — Ocean Island, an English possession in the Gil- 

 bert group in the Pacific Ocean (Lat. o degrees, 52 minutes south; 

 Long. 169 degrees, 35 minutes east), although less than 1,500 acres 

 in extent, contains important phosphate deposits. The phosphate 

 on this island, a surface deposit, is mined by open pit mining^ and 

 is dried in cylinder dryers. The water around the island being 

 shallow, the rock is necessarily transported by small boats to the 

 steamers. 



Naura — Naura, a German possession belonging to the ]^Iarshall 

 Islands, lies 160 miles northwest of Ocean Island. The phosphate 

 of this island is found resting upon and filling up irregularities in 

 the top surface of a dolomitic limestone, and grades 86 to 87 per 

 cent tricalcium phosphate. In mining, the rock is shoveled into 

 buckets, which, when filled, are lifted and carried by cable to the 

 railroad track. The deposits of these two islands are worked by 

 the Pacific Phosphate Company, Ltd. The output, amounting 

 to about 250,000 tons a year, is shipped to Japan^ Australia, and 

 New Zealand, as well as to the European countries. 



Anguar — Anguar, one of the Pelew Islands of the Carolina 

 Group in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan, produced in 191 1, 41,000 

 tons of phosphate which grades about 80 per cent. The deposits 

 of this island are worked by a German company. The Deutsche 

 Sudsee Phosphat-Gesellschaft. This company is said to have ex- 

 ported 90,000 tons of phosphate, chiefly from this island, during 



1913- 



Makatea — From Makatea, one of the Paumotu Islands of the 



