Pacific phosphate island environments versus the mining industry : an unequal struggle

Abstract

ENVI RONMENTAL AISE STUDIES sourH PAclFlc REGIoNAI ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (SPREn souTH PACIFIC COMMISSION (SPCI, NOUMFI' NEW GALEDONIA produced with financial ass'istance from the uNrrEb NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEn South Pacific Study PACIFIC PHOSPHATE ISLAND ENVIRONMENTS VERSUS THE MINING INDUSTRY: AN UNEQUAL STRUGGLE. 1 . GUANO , PHOSPHATES AND PACIFIC PHOSPHATE ISLANDS A number of Pacific islands have been the scene of inbnsive Uicalcium phosphate mining since the early 20th century. The best known and biggest deposits are on Maktea in French Polynesia, Nauru (Republic of Nauru) and Banaba, which is part of Kiribati. Phosphate should not be confused wilh guano, which was also mined last century in various coral islands of the tropical Pacific. Guano is a build-up of bird droppings in places inhabited by large colonies of sea-birds. It can be directly applied as a fertiliser. Because guanos can form calcium phosphates by the combination of their phosphoric elements with limeslone under the effect 0f