The Atlas Obscura Podcast The Belt and the Berm (Classic)
Jan 22, 2026
Lino Camprubi, a historian of science, and Jacob Mundy, an expert on Western Sahara, delve into the implications of phosphate mining. They explore the world’s longest conveyor belt in Western Sahara and its role in global food production. The discussion highlights environmental impacts, colonial histories, and the political tensions surrounding the region. Mundy shares insights on Sahrawi culture and resistance against mining operations, while emphasizing the tragic consequences of resource extraction, connecting the conveyor’s legacy to what ends up on our dinner plates.
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Phosphate Is Life's Nonrenewable Backbone
- Phosphorus is a cosmic element created in supernovas and is essential to DNA and energy transfer in all life.
- Lino Camprubi explains phosphate's central biological role and why mined phosphates underpin modern agriculture.
Fertilizers Feed People And Damage Ecosystems
- Mined phosphate fertilizers massively increased crop yields but create severe environmental damage and toxic byproducts.
- Mining produces radioactive gravel and polluted wastewater that harm oceans and local communities.
The World Is Addicted To Phosphate
- Global agriculture depends on mined phosphate and faces a looming resource depletion.
- Without mined phosphate rock, roughly half the world population could face food scarcity, making reserves geopolitically critical.
