PRODUCTION OF PHOSPHATE ROCK IN FLORIDA 
DURING 191*; 
E. H. Sellards. 
The production of phosphate rock in Florida which has 
steadily increased during the past several years shows, according 
to statistics collected by the State Geological Survey, a further 
increase during 1912. The output for 1911 was 2,494,572 long 
tons, while during 1912 the output, as reported to the State Geo¬ 
logical Survey by the producers, was 2,579,865 long tons, an 
increase of nearly one hundred thousand tons. The increase 
occurred in both the hard rock and pebble mines. It was greatest, 
however, in the hard rock mines, this being the reverse of the 
preceding few years during which the increase had been most 
rapid in the pebble mines. Thirty companies in all were engaged 
in mining phosphate in Florida during 1912. Of these fourteen 
companies were mining hard rock phosphate while sixteen com¬ 
panies were mining pebble phosphate. 
The foreign shipments of phosphate rock from Florida dur¬ 
ing 1912 amounted to 1,203,005 tons. The amount consigned 
for domestic shipment, as reported by the producers, was 1,219,927 
tons. It thus appears that approximately one-half of the phos¬ 
phate mined in Florida is used in the United States. Hard rock 
phosphate is said to have sold at the mines during 1912 at about 
$6.00 per ton. Pebble phosphate sold at the mines at $2.75 to 
$4.50 per ton, depending upon the grade. 
HARD ROCK PHOSPHATE. 
Notwithstanding a season of unprecedented rain the mining 
of hard rock phosphate progressed actively during 1912, resulting 
in a decided increase in production over the preceding year. The 
production of hard rock during 1911 in Florida was 474,094 tons 
while during 1912 there was mined 536,3^9 tons. The removal of 
overburden by hydraulics is becoming very general in the hard 
rock section and has been an important factor in the increased 
production of rock. Electric lighting and power has made it pos- 
