Renewable energy for production of elemental phosphorus

Elemental phosphorus is produced by an energy-intensive process that involves smelting phosphate ore in submerged-arc electric furnaces. Approximately equal quantities of energy are supplied as electricity and reducing carbon. The phosphorus industry is offered a new process to reduce the overall energy requirement about 40%. Reducing carbons normally used to smelt phosphate ores are metallurgical coke and petroleum coke. It is proposed that forest products such as wood pellets be used as reducing carbon. This renewable energy source can provide essentially all the energy required to smelt phosphate ores