The object of appraising the extent and grade of the Dandaragan Phosphate Deposits systematic field work was commenced in 1941 by R. S Matheson. This early investigation was concerned mainly with the lower phosphate bed, but towards the end of the work it was discovered that some of the outcrops which had previously been considered to belong to this horizon were in reality part of an upper bed which had previously not been recognised.
With the acute shortage of phosphate rock in Australia, due to the loss of the main sources of supply in the Pacific by enemy action at the time, the British Phosphate Commission instituted an Australia wide search for substitute supplies. The investigations at Dandaragan were carried out on their behalf by the Mines Department, the actual field work being done by Mr Matheson. Later investigations indicated that it was unlikely that the Dandaragan Phosphate Deposits could be mined on a commercial basis, but were nevertheless formed valuable reserves which might need to be drawn upon under unusual conditions when extra Australian sources were unavailable.
