In 1955 a programme of search for phosphate, to supplement the diminishing reserves of Ocean, Nauru, and Christmas Islands, was agreed upon by the Australian and New Zealand Governments. This Bulletin describes the search of islands of the South-West Pacific and Australian waters by the Bureau of Mineral Resources. Islands off the northern coast of Australia were investigated in 1957, the British Solomon Islands and islands off Papua and New Guinea in 1958, and Fiji, Tonga, and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1959. The deposits of Bellona Island, B.S.I.P., are the only ones investigated by the survey that could be exploited and exported ; they contain about 500,000 tons of grade 30-3 percent P205 and 4,500,000 tons of grade 22-3 percent P205 . Other, smaller, deposits were found in: the Purdy Islands, Sae, and Manu (New Guinea); Tamana, Vaitupu, Abemama, Nukufetau, Tabiteuea , and Nui, in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands ; Vanua Vatu , Ogea Driki, and Tuvuca in Fiji ; and islands in the Ashmore Reef, Northern Territory . Many other islands contained traces of phosphate. The origin and uses of various types of phosphate deposit are reviewed.

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