Energetic and economic significance of uranium in mineral phosphorous fertilizers

Abstract

During the past decade up to 167 t/yr U has been applied to farmland by P fertilization in Germany and this amount would have been sufficient to satisfy the energy demand of 2.4·106 households if U had been extracted previously. This energy source equals the heating value of timber from 5.6·106 ha of forest land. The use of U from P fertilizers is an uncommon contribution of agriculture to climate protection, which has been valued to 1.8 €/kg P when an equivalent value to CO2 emission car tax bands in Germany is assumed.