Without the Southern States, the rest of us would miss...

[HooptieWagon]

138. Yes, they do. Its pretty destructive to the enviroment.

Originally, phosphate was mined in N Florida by hand using ex-slaves and rented prisoners under deplorable conditions. Then mechanization came in about 100 years ago, and they followed the phosphate vein south through Polk Co down into Charlotte Co. Port of Tampa was established for shipping phosphate. A much smaller phosphate port operated in Boca Grande, but its been closed for many years...a lot of ruins still there, though, along with remnants of old railway trestle bridge across Charlotte Harbor. These are strip mines, and the waste is just piled up in giant mountains. Run-off from rains goes into streams and rivers. Enviromental agencies try to keep runoff prevented, with mixed results. Its generally thought that much of the red tide algae blooms are do to phosphate runoff. .Its been better recently, at least compared to 60s and 70s.