also: りんこう
phosphate rock; phosphoric ore
Technical term for rock containing phosphate minerals, used as a raw material for fertilizer and industrial phosphorus.
Phosphate rock is important as a raw material for fertilizer.
Full kanji spelling using the non-jōyō character 燐; mostly seen in older or technical texts.
Compound of リン (phosphorus, from English or German) and 鉱 (ore).