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Big Four Mine

Producer in Hillsborough county in Florida, United States with commodities Aluminum, Calcium, Fluorine-Fluorite, Iron, Magnesite, Phosphorus-Phosphates
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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. Materials information
  8. Mineral occurrence model information
  9. Host and associated rocks
  10. Nearby scientific data
  11. Ore body information
  12. Controls for ore emplacement
  13. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  14. Mining district
  15. Mineral rights holdings
  16. Land status
  17. Ownership information
  18. Production statistics
  19. Workings at the site
  20. Links to other databases
  21. Bibliographic references
  22. General comments
  23. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10215962
MRDS ID ISM0357
MAS/MILS ID 0120570002
Record type Site
Current site name Big Four Mine
Alternate or previous names Big Four (Mobile) (Amax Fert.)

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -82.07796, 27.74421 (WGS84)
Elevation 33
Location accuracy 100(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Hillsborough(county)

Florida(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

USGS map quadrangles

Duette NE(quadrangle 1:24,000 scale)

Saint Petersburg(quadrangle 1:100,000 scale)

Saint Petersburg(quadrangle 1:250,000 scale)

Hydrologic units (watersheds)

Alafia(hydrologic unit)

Tampa Bay(hydrologic accounting unit)

Peace-Tampa Bay(hydrologic subregion)

South Atlantic-Gulf(hydrologic region)

Geographic areas

Country State County
United States Florida Hillsborough

Public Land Survey System information

Meridian Township Range Section Fraction State
Tallahassee 031 S 022 E 35 (23-27, 34, 36) W2SENE Florida

Comments on the location information

  • 14 Mi Southeast of Boyette

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Aluminum Critical Tertiary
Calcium Tertiary
Fluorine-Fluorite Critical Tertiary
Iron Tertiary
Magnesite Tertiary
Phosphorus-Phosphates Primary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Collophane Ore
Dolomite Gangue
Montmorillonite Gangue
Quartz Gangue

Analytical data

Result GREATER THEN 70% TPL (32% P205 )

Mineral occurrence model information

Model code 244
USGS model code 34d
Deposit model name Phosphate, warm current type

Host and associated rocks

  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Clay, Mud
    Rock unit name Bone Valley Formation
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Unconsolidated Deposit > Sand and Gravel
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Carbonate > Dolomite
  • Host or associated Host
    Rock type Sedimentary Rock > Chemical Sediment > Phosphorite
    Rock unit name Bone Valley Formation

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -82.07796, 27.74421
ListMap

Economic information

Ore body information

  • General form Blanket (The whole unit covers 2000 sq miles of the coastal plain)
    Dip SLOPES OF 5 FT/MILE ARE COMMON TO BONE VALLEY FM.
    Thickness 3.7M
    Length 5200M
    Width 3110M
    Area 1620HA
    Depth to top 7.3M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 SEDIMENTARY
    Shape of Orebody #1 MASSIVE
    Type of Orebody #2 DISSEMINATED
    Shape of Orebody #2 IRREGULAR
    Type of Orebody #3 REPLACEMENT
    Primary mode of Origin SEDIMENTATION
    Secondary mode of Origin RESIDUAL CONCENT
    Primary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Secondary Ore Control BEDDING
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. UNKNOWN
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 UNKNOWN
    Minimum Depth to Top 1.5
    Avg. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 7.3
    Min. Thick. Unconsol. Mat. 1.5
    Total Surface Area (HA) 1620
    Date of Last Modification 850430

Controls for ore emplacement

  • Lithology
  • Bedding

Comments on the geologic information

  • THE BONE VALLEY FM WAS DEPOSITED ON THE ERODED SURFACE OF THE HAWTHORN FM. BY A TRANSGRESSING SEA THAT REWORKED AND SORTED THE HIGHLY PHOSPHATIC RESIDUAL OF THE HAWTHORN FM. PHOSPHATE RECOVERED IS FROM THELOWER BONE VALLEY-WHICH IS LESS WEATHERED-AND THE UPPER RESIDUAL PART OF THE HAWTHORN. RIGGS (1967) REDEFINED THE STRATIGRAPHY CREATING HAWTHORN GROUP WHICHINCLUDES ROCKS PREVIOUSLY PLACED IN HAWTHORN AND BONE VALLEY FMS. BONE VALLEY FM. WAS THEN SUBDIVIDED INTO 11 MEMBERS.
  • REWORKING, WEATHERING; PLEIS-HOLO; SEE: LAND PEBBLE PHOSPHATE DISTRICT; SEE: LAND PEBBLE PHOSPHATE DISTRICT

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Surface
Development status Producer
Commodity type Both
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1910
Mining method Strip-Level
Year of first production 1977
Plant type Beneficiation (Mill)
Plant subcategory Wash
Milling method Flotation

Mining district

District name Central Florida Phosphate District
District name Central Land Pebble Phosphate District

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Fee Ownership

Land status

Ownership category Private

Ownership information

  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Mobil Chemical Co.
    ID 800871
    Interest 100
    Home office Virginia
    Year 1987
  • Type Owner-Operator
    Owner Amax Phosphate Inc. (Former: Borden Inc.)

Comments on the ownership information

  • OWNER/OPERATOR ADDRESS : 402 SO KENTUCKY AVE., SUITE 600, LAKELAND, FLORIDA 33801. THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY MOBIL CHEMICAL COMPANY IN FEBRUARY 1987.

Production statistics

  • Year 1980
    Material This tonnage was calculated (amount of product divided by grade).
    Ore mined 4850000mt
    Description Phosphate Rock, About 32% P2o5 Avg. Grd. 1553000 Metric Tons, Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary P2O5 Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1553000mt 32wt-pct
  • Year 1981
    Material This tonnage was calculated (amount of product divided by grade).
    Ore mined 5450000mt
    Description Phosphate Rock, About 32% P2o5 Avg. Grd. 1744000 Metric Tons, Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary P2O5 Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1744000mt 32wt-pct
  • Year 1982
    Material This tonnage was calculated (amount of product divided by grade).
    Ore mined 1320000mt
    Description Phosphate Rock, About 32% P2o5 Avg. Grd. 422000 Metric Tons, Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary P2O5 Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 422000mt 32wt-pct
  • Year 1983
    Material This tonnage was calculated (amount of product divided by a grade of 32% - which was used in all the other production records, but not recorded for this record).
    Ore mined 1175000mt
    Description Phosphate Rock, About 32% P2o5 Avg. Grd. 376000 Metric Tons, Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary P2O5 Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 376000mt
  • Year 1984
    Material This tonnage was calculated (amount of product divided by the grade).
    Ore mined 3860000mt
    Description Phosphate Rock, About 32% P2o5 Avg. Grd. 1234000 Metric Tons, Product
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Primary P2O5 Phosphorus-Phosphates Phosphorus 1234000mt 32wt-pct

Comments on the production information

  • THE FINAL PRODUCT OF THE CONCENTRATOR K1 IS A BLEND OF WET PHOSPHATE ROCK (PEBBLES) AND DRIED PHOSPHATE ROCK (FLOTATION CONCENTRATE).
  • 1.45 MIL TPY ORE; 1.1 MIL TPY CONC. EXPANSION PROGRAM TO 2.27 MIL TPY BY 1983, FOR PRODUCTION FIGURES SEE: LAND PEBBLE PHOSPHATE DISTRICT

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY AMAX, DURING A MINE VISIT, JAN. 1985. THE TONNAGE WAS SUPPLIED BY T. E. BAROODY, VICE-PRESIDENT OF PLANNING, AMAX. THE GRADE WAS BACKCALCULATED FROM PHOSPHATE-ROCK PRODUCT ASSAYS ALSO SUPPLIED BY T. E. BAROODY. TONNAGE IS MEASURED ORE. THE GRADE WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE SOURCE.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Surface
    Area 1271HA

Comments on development

  • NON-GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS ON DEVELOPMENT OR EXPANSION IN 1-5 YRS. (). DEVELOPMENT(UNKNOWN); EXPLORATION(UNKNOWN); CRUDE ORE 33.5 % P2O5 (72.2 % BPL), BENEFICIATED ROCK 34.4 % P2O5 (75 % BPL). LAND CLEARING STARTED 1976. DESIGN CAP. 1.25 MILLION TONS/YR.
  • K2 IS A PHOSPHATE ROCK DRIER, WHOSE TONNAGE AND GRADE FOR THE THROUPUT IS THE SAME AS THOSE FOR K1. PROCESS LOSSES ARE NEGLEGIBLE. THE COORDINATES FOR K2 ARE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS THOSE FOR K1. "UNSPECIFIED" AS PROCESSING METHOD MEANS DRYING IN A HYDRO-PETERSON DRIER (NOT A REGULAR KILN). THE DRIER CAPACITY IS 272 METRIC TONS PER HOUR. IN ACTUAL CASES THE PERCENT OF PHOSPHATE ROCK DRIED IS LESS THAN 100. THE ACTUAL DRYING COST IS $0.0262 PER TON OF DRIED ROCK (CONCENTRATE).

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Deposit

    HAYNES B. W., G. W. KRAMER, AND J. A. JOLLY. FLUORINE AND URANIUM IN PHOSPHATE ROCK PROCESSING AND WASTE MATERIALS. BUMINES RI 8576, 1981, 17 PP.

  • Reserve-Resource

    E/MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY, 1984, PAGE 173

  • Ownership

    GEORGE LOVE, CHIEF GEOLOGIST, MOBIL CHEMICAL CO.; 8/21/87 TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH LEE OSMONSON.

  • Deposit

    STOWASSER, W. F. PHOSPHATE ROCK, BUMINES MINERAL COMMODITY PROFILE, 1983, 18 PP.

  • Deposit

    BRITISH SULFOR CORPORATION LIMITED. WORLD SURVEY OF PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS, 4TH ED., 1980, 238 PP.

  • Deposit

    EARTH SCIENCES, INC. URANIUM PHOSPHATE RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY, AND ECONOMICS OF URANIUM RECOVERY FROM PHOSPHATE RESOURCES, UNITED STATES AND FREE WORLD, DEP. ENERGY CONTRACT GJBX-110 (79) V. 2, JUNE 1979, 672 PP.

  • Deposit

    LAWVER, J. E., J. P. BERNARDI, G. F. MCKEREEHAN, J. D. RAULSON, D. LYNCH, AND R. S. HEARON. NEW TECHNIQUES IN BENEFICIATION OF THE FLORIDA PHOSPHATE OF THE FURURE. MINERALS AND METALLURGICAL PROCESSING, V. I, O. 2, 1984, PP. 89-106.

  • Deposit

    RAULSON, J. D. AND J. M. WILLIAMS. EVALUATION OF FLORIDA PHOSPHATE MATRIX TRANSPORTATION FROM MINE TO PLANT. MINING ENGINEERING, AUGUST 1983, PP 1196-1200.

  • Deposit

    ZELLARS-WILLIAMS, INC.. EVALUATION OF THE PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF FLORIDA USING THE MINERALS AVAILABILITY SYSTEM, BUMINES OPEN FILE REPORT 112-78, 1978.

  • Deposit

    DEMOCRAT (BARTOW, FLORIDA). AMAX CHEMICAL AND AMAX PHOSPHATE TO BE COMBINED, DEC. 13., 1982.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING & MILNING JOURNAL. PHOSPHATE PRODUCTION EXPANDING IN FLORIDA TO MEET 1980S DEMAND. DEC. 1981, PP 47-53.

  • Deposit

    SKILLINGS' MINING REVEIW. AMAX TO BUY PHOSPHATE FACILITIES OF BORDEN. JUNE 7, 1980, P 5.

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING. SOUTHERN U. S. INDUSTRY. MAY 1981, P 565.

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING. U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL MINERALS NEWS BRIEFS. JULY 1980, P 764.

  • Deposit

    MINING ENGINEERING. INDUSTRY NEWSWATCH. DEC. 1981, P 1684.

  • Deposit

    MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL. MINING NEWS, MONTH. AUG. 1980, P 6.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE. AMAX PHOSPHATE INC'S. BIG FOUR EXPANSION PROGRAMME. SEPT. 1980, PP 151.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW. PHOSPHATE ROCK. 1978, P 106.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW. PHOSPHATE ROCK. 1081, P 354.

  • Deposit

    AMAX MINERALS & ENERGY. 1984 ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Deposit

    MINING ANNUAL REVIEW. CHEMICAL METALS AND MINERALS. 1980, P. 109.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. WORLD PHOSPHATE ROCK PRODUCTION. MARCH 1981, P 95.

  • Deposit

    ENGINEERING AND MINING JOURNAL. THIS MONTH IN MINING. DEC. 1981, P 53.

  • Deposit

    E/MJ INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY. MAJOR OPEN PIT METAL AND NONMETALLIC MINES OF THE FREE WORLD. 1981, P 572.

  • Deposit

    RANDOL MINING DIRECTORY, 1996/97, U.S. MINES & MINING COMPANIES, P. 181.

  • Deposit

    Phosphorus & Potassium, No.97, Sept./Oct., 1978

  • Deposit

    CENTRAL FLORIDA PHOSPHATE IND. AREA WIDE IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. EXISTING LAND USE, VOL IV, PREPARED FOR U.S.E.P.A BY TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. JUNE 1977.

  • Deposit

    APPLICATION FOR D.R.I.BORDEN BIGFOUR MINE, HILLS, CO., 1976 BORDEN INCORPORATED ANNUAL REPORT, 1976

  • Deposit

    PHILLIPS PETROLEUM CO. MINING MASTER PLAN FOR MANATEE COUNTY ZONING BOARD, 1975

  • Deposit

    ZELLARS-WILLIAMS, INC., EVALUATION OF THE PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS OF FLORIDA USING THEMINERALS AVAILABILITY SYSTEM, BUMINES OPEN FILE REPORT 112-78. NTIS: PB 2286 648/AS. KEYSVILLE, AND DUETTE NE QUADRANGLES FLORIDA, USGS 7.5 MIN. SERIES, 1955, 1956.

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit ADIT UPDATE 1993: RESERVES REMAIN FOR 2.5 YEARS OF OPERATIONS OR UNTIL MID-1995 IF OPERATIONS CONTINUE. OPERATION WILL CLOSE WHEN RESERVES ARE DEPLETED, BY THE END OF 1995. (RANDOL, 1996/97).
Deposit Some information in this site is from the INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC MINERALS INVENTORY. THE DATA WERE USED IN PREPARATION OF THE USGS CIRCULAR 930 SERIES OF REPORTS. MINERAL RESOURCE CATEGORIES AND CODES HEREIN ARE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDED BY THE UNITED NATIONS GROUP OF EXPERTS ON DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR MINERAL RESOURCES. (SEE NATIONAL RESOURCES FORUM, V. 4, NO. 3, P. 307-313.). SURFACE BENEFICIATED ROCK
Deposit PHOSPHORITE STUDIES WERE MOTIVATED SOLELY BY THE OCCURRENCE OF URANIUM AS A TRACE SUBSTITUENT OF APATITE (from W031393)
Deposit A LAND-PEBBLE DEPOSIT.THICKNESS VARIES DUE TO HAWTHORN KARST TOPOGRAPHY.

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 11-OCT-96 Amaro, R. U.S. Bureau of Mines
Editor 04-NOV-02 Nicholson, S.W. (E) U.S. Geological Survey reformated date column; calculated latitude and longitude in decimal degrees; added Location Precision, Continent, Country, State, Commodity Code, Ore Minerals Code fields; changed Major Commodity fie
Reporter 31-DEC-78 Saam, Henning, G. (R) Bundesanstalt Fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffee (Germany)
Updater 03-NOV-10 Causey, J. Douglas U.S. Geological Survey Combined information from Deposit ID: 10024632 and deleted that record.
Reporter 30-SEP-77 Sutphin, David M. (R) U.S. Geological Survey

Beyond USGS

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

Current status (per MSHA)

StatusAbandoned since 04/09/1998
MSHA mine ID0800871
Mine name (MSHA)BIG FOUR
Current operatorImc-Agrico
Current controller (parent)Mosaic Company
Mine typeSurface (Metal / non-metal)

MSHA cross-reference per the original MRDS record. Mine status and operator reflect MSHA's last published Mines export (February 2025); MSHA's public bulk feed has been unavailable since, so this may be out of date. See the Mine Data Retrieval System for current status.

Open MSHA's Mine Data Retrieval System for inspections, accidents, and violations for this mine.

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