That Phosphate is Too Large... EarthCache

Educational Information
The posted coordinates will lead you to the display of the largest phosphate rock ever mined in Tennessee. Much phosphate rock is pebble sized, however this giant phosphate rock weighs over 30 tons. This rock was mined by Farmer Construction Company on the Agnes Burnnett Property in 1984 under the supervision of Monsanto Chemical Company who donated it to the park. During its 44 year history Farmer Construction Company mined 35 million tons of phosphate ore from middle Tennesse for Monsanto. Using phosphate ore from Middle Tennessee, Monsanto operated an elemental phosphorous manufacturing plant located about 5 miles northwest of the cache site from 1936 through 1986. This plant, at it's peak in the 1960's, was the world's largest phosphorous plant and employed over 800 people.

In order to log this cache you must:

1. Post a picture of yourself with your gps in front of this display of the largest phosphate rock ever mined in Tennessee.
2. Email the answer to these questions to me: Measure this boulder and email me the approximate length of this phosphate boulder?
According to the plaque the 35 million tons of phosphate ore mined in this area would fill this 200 acre park to what depth?

More Technical Information
To understand the importance of this phosphate ore mining and phosphorous plant it is important to understand the role that phosphorous plays in our lives. Common phosphorus forms a waxy white solid that has a characteristic disagreeable smell. Pure forms of the element are colorless and transparent. This non metal is not soluble in water, but it is soluble in carbon disulfide. Pure phosphorus ignites spontaneously in air and burns to phosphorus pentoxide.

Forms
Phosphorus exists in four allotropic forms: white (or yellow), red, and black (or violet). Other allotropic forms may exist. The most common are red and white phosphorus, both of which consist of networks of tetrahedrally arranged groups of four phosphorus atoms. The tetrahedra of white phosphorous form separate groups; the tetrahedra of red phosphorus are linked into chains. White phosphorus burns on contact with air and, on exposure to heat or light, it can transform into red phosphorus. Phosphorus also exists in kinetically and thermodynamically favored forms. They are separated by a transition temperature of -3.8 °C. One is known as the "alpha" form, the other "beta". Red phosphorus is comparatively stable and sublimes at a vapor pressure of 1 atm at 170 °C but burns from impact or frictional heating. A black phosphorus allotrope exists which has a structure similar to graphite - the atoms are arranged in hexagonal sheet layers and will conduct electricity.

Applications
Concentrated phosphoric acids, which can consist of 70% to 75% P2O5 are very important to agriculture and farm production in the form of fertilizers. Global demand for fertilizers has led to large increases in phosphate (PO43-) production in the second half of the 20th century. Other uses; Phosphates are utilized in the making of special glasses that are used for sodium lamps. Bone-ash, calcium phosphate, is used in the production of fine china and to make mono-calcium phosphate which is employed in baking powder. This element is also an important component in steel production, in the making of phosphor bronze, and in many other related products. Trisodium phosphate is widely used in cleaning agents to soften water and for preventing pipe/boiler tube corrosion. White phosphorus is used in military applications as incendiary bombs, smoke pots, smoke bombs and tracer bullets. Red phosphorus is essential for manufacturing matchbook strikers, flares, and, most notoriously, methamphetamine. Miscellaneous uses; used in the making of safety matches, pyrotechnics, pesticides, toothpaste, detergents, etc.

Biological role
Phosphorus is a key element in all known forms of life. Inorganic phosphorus in the form of the phosphate PO43- plays a major role in biological molecules such as DNA and RNA where it forms part of the structural backbone of these molecules. Living cells also utilize phosphate to transport cellular energy via adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Nearly every cellular process that uses energy gets it in the form of ATP. Phospholipids are the main structural components of all cellular membranes. Calcium phosphate salts are used by animals to stiffen their bones.

History
Phosphorus (Greek. phosphoros, meaning "light bearer" which was the ancient name for the planet Venus) was discovered by German alchemist Hennig Brand in 1669 through a preparation from urine. Working in Hamburg, Brand attempted to distill salts by evaporating urine, and in the process produced a white material that glowed in the dark and burned brilliantly. Since that time, phosphorescence has been used to describe substances that shine in the dark without burning. Early matches used white phosphorus in their composition, which was dangerous due to its toxicity. Murders, suicides and accidental poisonings resulted from its use (An apocryphal tale tells of a woman attempting to murder her husband with white phosphorus in his food, which was detected by the stew giving off luminous steam). In addition, exposure to the vapors gave match workers a necrosis of the bones of the jaw, the infamous "phossy-jaw." When red phosphorus was discovered, with its far lower flammability and toxicity, it was adopted as a safer alternative for match manufacture.

Occurrence
Due to its reactivity to air and many other oxygen containing substances, phosphorus is not found free in nature but it is widely distributed in many different minerals. Phosphate rock, which is partially made of apatite (an impure tri-calcium phosphate mineral) is an important commercial source of this element. Large deposits of apatite are in Russia, Morocco, Florida, Idaho, Tennessee, Utah, and elsewhere. The white allotrope can be produced using several different methods. In one process, tri-calcium phosphate, which is derived from phosphate rock, is heated in an electric or fuel-fired furnace in the presence of carbon and silica. Elemental phosphorus is then liberated as a vapor and can be collected under phosphoric acid.

Precautions
This is a particularly poisonous element with 50 mg being the average fatal dose (white phosphorus is generally considered to be the lethal form of phosphorus while phosphate and orthophosphate are essential nutrients). The allotrope white phosphorus should be kept under water at all times due to its extreme reactivity to atmospheric oxygen, and it should only be manipulated with forceps since contact with skin can cause severe burns. Chronic white phosphorus poisoning of unprotected workers leads to necrosis of the jaw called "phossy-jaw". Ingestion of white phosphorus may cause a medical condition known as "Smoking Stool Syndrome". Fluorophosphate esters are among the most potent neurotoxins known but most inorganic phosphates are relatively nontoxic. Phosphate pollution occurs where fertilizers or detergents have leached into soils. When the white form is exposed to sunlight or when it is heated in its own vapor to 250 °C, it is transmuted to the red form, which does not phosphoresce in air. The red allotrope does not spontaneously ignite in air and is not as dangerous as the white form. Nevertheless, it should be handled with care because it does revert to white phosphorus in some temperature ranges and it also emits highly toxic fumes that consist of phosphorus oxides when it is heated.