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Hub of Purified Phosphate Production Humming Along
Four towering structures of pipes, tanks and beams make for a distinguishing landmark in the sky near the banks of the Pamlico River at Aurora, North Carolina, where PotashCorp has the largest phosphoric acid operation in North America.
As part of the overall PCS Phosphate mine and production facility, the purified acid operation is the industry's only integrated producer. From the mine site to processing to rail distribution, PotashCorp controls each step of production.
Quality Rock
The Aurora ore deposit was discovered back in the 1950s and has been mined for more than 40 years. Given today's heightened demand for phosphate products, it should be reassuring that the deposit is one of the highest grade sources of phosphate in North America.
High-grade ore translates into high-quality purified acid because the rock itself does not have as many impurities as other lower-grade rock sources. Purified acid made from ore containing higher levels of magnesium, iron and aluminum will be unable to meet many of the demanding quality specifications required in today's marketplace.
Quantity Production
Burgeoning economies worldwide and growth in many of the industries where purified acid is used have steadily increased demand through the years. To keep up with that demand, we've been very busy expanding our production capacity. In 2003, a third production plant went online, followed closely by a fourth plant in 2006.
"Our total purified phosphoric acid capacity is in excess of 360,000 tons, no other company in North America comes close to that capacity," said Brad Peacock, Senior Director of Industrial Phosphates. "Not only have we invested in industry-leading capacity, we also have a dedicated stream of phosphoric acid feedstock to keep the industry supplied."
Although PotashCorp produces phosphate products for fertilizer and animal feed uses, the company remains committed to its purified acid customer base.
"The industrial phosphate business is really the top strategic market for our phosphate products," Peacock said.
Quality Production
Another advantage of being fully integrated is our unique ability to be in total control of quality from the moment the rock is mined to the moment the purified acid product arrives at the customer's facility.
In producing three grades of purified acid – food grade, technical grade and industrial grade – we take care to be on spec, exacting and consistent in the Certificates of Analysis for each of our customers for each of those products.
Testing throughout each step in the process helps ensure quality and our ability to fully meet customer specifications. And before a shipment is sent out for delivery to the customer, a sample of this shipment is conveyed by pneumatic tube directly to our on-site laboratory for analysis.
One Final Big Difference
Besides quality rock, unmatched capacity and unsurpassed testing, there's one more thing that separates this purified phosphoric acid plant from all others: proprietary technology.
"Our operation is unique," said David Harmon, Supervisor, Purified Acid. "Since the early '90s, what's been learned here has been compounded, refined and passed on. Our extraction zones, optimal temperatures we run at, the solvents we use…they've all been developed over several years. It's proprietary technology that allows us to meet extremely tight tolerances. For purity of product, other manufacturers just can't meet all the tight specifications that we can."
Plant Profile
Aurora, North Carolina
The largest producer of purified phosphoric acid in North America, the Aurora facility includes four separate purified acid plants.
Two of these plants have come online in the last four years, due to the increasing demand for purified acid products. These state-of-the-art plants began production in 2003 and 2006.
ANNUAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY
360,000 tons of P2O5
CERTIFICATIONS
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NSF Approved |
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Kosher Certified |
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Meets the requirements of: |
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System
Food Chemicals Codex
National Formulary
SHIPPING
Product shipped by rail to nine distribution centers in North America. Shipped from distribution centers to customers by truck.
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