Barir Field (Sde Barir)
ICL’s subsidiary, ICL Rotem, has been surface mining phosphate at Rotem and Zafir (Oron- Zin) in the Negev Desert for more than sixty years. Mining in the Negev utilizes conventional open pit or quarrying methods. ICL Rotem is careful to minimize impacts of its mining activities through responsible planning that allows for continuous reclamation of depleted mine blocks alongside mining operations. \
ICL’s existing phosphate mines in the Negev desert hold limited reserves of phosphate rock. ICL is working to promote a plan for mining phosphate in the Barir field which is located in the southern part of the South Zohar deposit in the Negev Desert.
The landscape around the field is not ecologically sensitive and is sufficiently distant from population centers while relatively close to the processing plants located at Mishor Rotem.
The Sde Barir site is located in the southern part of the south Zohar field. Situated in the Arad Valley, it is the only significant remaining phosphate reserve in Israel. Industry and government experts view it as the sole alternative to the active phosphate fields that will be depleted within the next few years. Considered to be of high quality, the phosphate reserves at Sde Barir could provide the raw material for essential products for humanity for approximately 25 years.
The landscape around the field is not ecologically sensitive, and the field is sufficiently distant from population centers while relatively close to the processing plants located at Mishor Rotem. The field’s expected yield per square kilometer is the highest in the Negev, offering the added ecological benefit of disrupting a relatively small area to obtain large quantities of product.
Failure to obtain the needed approvals and permits for the appropriate future phosphate rock sources can lead to a material impact on the operations of ICL Rotem, possibly impacting the livelihoods of some 10,000 families in Israel, including about 6,000 families in the Negev region of Israel.
Currently, the recommendation to permit ICL’s mining of the South Zohar field by Israel’s National Planning and Building Council is being contested and petitioned against by a number of local stakeholders, including the municipality of Arad, some Arad residents and local organizations, and some residents of the Bedouin diaspora in the “Arad Valley”. In addition, the Israel Ministry of Health has voiced concern over exposure of nearby populations to wind-borne dust particles. This is despite health studies conducted for ICL by external medical experts, that have concluded that ICL’s similar existing Rotem mines, have not caused the concerned health impacts to employees working in them. Nevertheless, ICL has repeatedly stated it does not object to any and all further health examinations by any relevant authority.
In planning the operation of the new mine, ICL Rotem has committed to preventing even this minuscule impact of potential dust by avoiding extreme mining scenarios, ceasing work during unusual weather conditions and by regularly employing a range of tools and measures to both monitor and reduce wind-borne particles.
ICL has undertaken to fulfill the following conditions, among others, in respect to mining at Sde Barir:
- A one-year pilot prior to making a final decision to mine the entire field;
- Assuming personal accountability down to the mine’s managerial level;
- Cessation of mining during unusual meteorological conditions;
- Authorizing the Environmental Unit of the Eastern Negev located in Arad to suspend mining work during difficult meteorological conditions;
- Ongoing monitoring of the field before and during mining operations;
- Applying the most stringent standards to mining works
at Sde Barir, including the use of innovative dust control
technologies during mining.
ICL is promoting mining activities in the Barir field to enable the continuation of its mining activities following the depletion of existing reserves. The company is waiting for the Israeli government to decide the fate of the South Zohar field. The decision has been continuously delayed.
If approvals to mine in the South Zohar (Barir) field are not received, and/or are significantly delayed, ICL Rotem’s future mining reserves will be significantly impacted within the upcoming few years, with the depletion of reserves in its existing operational mines. This could have far-reaching implications on life in the Negev region and the livelihood of thousands of families. ICL Rotem forms a significant part in Israel’s economy and contributes about ILS 3.5 Billion to the overall GDP of Israel.
ICL Rotem provides direct employment to 1,200 Employees and in total the livelihood of approx. 6,000 families in the Negev region, and about 10,000 families in Israel. The ICL Rotem contribution to employment is mainly in peripheral communities where employment opportunities are limited. ICL’s Rotem activity was found to contribute a significant part of the employment in the cities of Dimona, Yeruham, and Arad (see table below). ICL Rotem’s activity is especially important to employment in Israeli-Bedouin communities, as the company supports the livelihood of approx. 3,200 Bedouin-Israeli employees- mostly as contractor workers employed by ICL’s direct contractors in varying capacities (findings based on the 2020 BDO on ICL’s economic contribution to Israel, see more details here).
This vital economic contribution to the Israeli Negev region is currently jeopardized by the uncertainty regarding ICL Rotem’s future.
The contribution of ICL Rotem’s activities to the eastern Negev cities
| Cities of the eastern Negev region of Israel | % of all city employment attributed to ICL Rotem’s activity | % of all city salaries attributed to ICL Rotem’s activity |
|---|---|---|
| Dimona | 6% | 11% |
| Yeruham | 2% | 5% |
| Arad | 2% | 3% |
For more information on the Barir field issue and related legal proceedings, see Note 19 – Commitments, Concessions and Contingent Liabilities, in ICL’s 2019 Annual Report.
Sustainability Reporting Disclosures:
Disclosure: MM6
Disclosure: MM7
