FMC Elemental Phosphorus Plant

Unknown in Power county in Idaho, United States with commodity Phosphorus-Phosphates
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Public Land Survey System information
  6. Commodities
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  9. Land status
  10. Links to other databases
  11. Bibliographic references
  12. General comments
  13. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10169162
MAS/MILS ID 0160779002
Record type Site
Current site name FMC Elemental Phosphorus Plant
Alternate or previous names FMC Elemental P Plant

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Plant
Geographic coordinates: -112.53834, 42.90631 (WGS84)
Elevation 1359
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Power(county)

Idaho(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Michaud(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Pocatello(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Pocatello(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Portneuf(hydrologic unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic accounting unit)

Upper Snake(hydrologic subregion)

Pacific Northwest(hydrologic region)

Federal lands

BIA(Federal land areas administered by BIA)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Idaho Power

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Boise 006 S 033 E 12 S2SESE Idaho

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary

Nearby scientific data

Plant (1) -112.53834, 42.90631

Economic information

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Processing Plant
Commodity type Non-metallic
Significant No

Land status

Ownership category Private

Reference information

Bibliographic references

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Environmental Factors Wastewater generated by the FMC manufacturing processes can be categorized as phossy water, precipitator slurry, scrubber blowdown, or noncontact cooling water. Phossy water, precipitator slurry, and scrubber blowdown are discharged into various treatment ponds at the FMC facility. The treatment ponds facilitate the settling of solids from the wastewaters and provide for evaporation of water. Some of the water discharged to the phossy water, precipitator slurry and scrubber blowdown treatment ponds is recycled back to the manufacturing processes. In contrast, noncontact cooling water (i.e., secondary cooling loops, furnace cooling, and calciner water beams) from the FMC facility is sent to the on-site industrial wastewater basin for cooling and then discharged into the Portneuf River.
General The FMC facility, FMC Elemental Phosphorus Plant, covers an estimated 1,189 acres and adjoins the western boundary of the Simplot Don Plant (2). Approximately 560 people are employed at the FMC Elemental Phosphorus Plant. Elemental phosphorus production at the facility has changed little since the plant operations began in 1949. Phosphate-bearing shale is shipped to FMC via the Union Pacific Railroad during the summer months. Ore cannot be shipped during the winter months because the ore tends to freeze in the rail cars. Therefore, the ore is stockpiled at the facility. Ore from the stockpiles is processed in four electric arc furnaces. The furnace reaction yields gaseous elemental phosphorus in addition to by-products, some of which contain radiological components. The elemental phosphorus is subsequently condensed to a liquid state and eventually shipped off-site. Approximately 1.5 million tons of ore are processed at the plant annually.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 22-OCT-97 Buckingham, David A. U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.