Conflict Minerals: Conflicts May Hinge on Phosphorus Supply

Aug 6, 2015 | Paul Hanley, The Starphoenix
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Life without phosphorus, and plenty of it, is impossible. It's a central component of DNA, shared by every living creature on earth. Human cells use it as the primary means of energy storage. Agriculture depends on the availability of phosphorus, which, along with nitrogen and potassium, is one of the three most important plant nutrients. As the world population is projected to rise to more than 11 billion by the end of the century, researchers are worried there won't be enough phosphorus to maintain, let alone expand, the food supply.