158 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY—FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 
PRODUCTION OF PHOSPHATE ROCK IN FLORIDA 
DURING 1910. 
E. H. SELLARDS, State Geologist. 
The production of phosphate rock in Florida during 1910 ex¬ 
ceeds that of any preceding year, the output having for the first time 
reached and passed the land mark of 2,000,000 tons. The total 
production for 1909 was 1,862,151 tons, while for 1910 the produe 
tion was approximately 2,029,797 tons. This large output is more 
remarkable in view of the depressed prices for phosphate which pre¬ 
vailed throughout the year. The increase is due, however, entirely 
to the pebble section, the output of hard rock having actually de¬ 
creased. 
A notable feature is the fact that shipments of phosphate during 
1910 exceeded the amount mined. While the output as already 
stated slightly exceeded 2,000,000 tons the amount shipped to do 
mestic and foreign consignments as reported by the several com¬ 
panies is little, if any, short of 2,081,936 tons. This excess of ship¬ 
ment over production occurred in the hard rock section where the 
shipments exceeded the amount mined by nearly 100,000 tons, thus 
materially reducing the stock on hand at the beginning of the new 
year. 
The amount of phosphate consigned for use in the United States 
during 1909 from Florida was 837,217 tons, while during 1910 the 
consignments to points within the United States was according to 
the reports of the producers slightly in excess of 1,000,000 tons. 
This is as it should be, and is an encouraging sign of the increased 
home demand for phosphate. 
The price of phosphate rock during the year was nominal. The 
hard rock is said to have sold at $5 to $6 f. o. b. at mines, and the 
pebble at $2.75 to $3 f. o. b. at mines. 
Hard Rock. 
The total number of plants operating at the beginning of the 
year in the hard rock section was thirty-seven. Some of these 
worked out deposits, or for other reasons closed down during the 
year, but a number of new mines opened up. The number operating 
at the close of the year was forty-five. Twenty companies in all were 
operating in the hard rock section during all or a part of the year. 
