Land Rehabilitation and Restorations
ICL Rotem works according to a long-term strategy for planning and managing its mining of phosphate deposits in the Negev. This policy includes conducting comprehensive geological surveys and examining alternatives to mining, while defining long-term goals for mining and sustainable mining. These goals include comprehensive planning for the restoration of the area before beginning to mine. \
We have a multidisciplinary approach involving, among others, landscape architects, mining engineers and ecologists to ensure the optimal conduct of the process. The process also includes site tours of the area with key stakeholders, such as the Society for the Preservation of Nature in Israel, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Ministry for Environmental Protection, local officials and other government agencies, to ensure perspective and balance, education and transparency.
Reclamation of Phosphate Mines During Mining
Mine reclamation is the practice of maintaining the original landscape of mined areas and restoring it to its natural state, or preparing it for other beneficial social, environmental or economic uses, while minimizing interference with sensitive land. Reclamation, although performed after mining is completed, is best suited when planned prior to mining and conducted throughout the mining process.
At the initiation of a mined block, ICL Rotem removes and temporarily stores the topsoil. The overburden layer is then also removed from the specific mined block’s surface and placed in another block in which mining has been completed.
When the mining of a block is completed, it undergoes topographical shaping and is then covered with stored topsoil. The reclaimed block surface is shaped similarly to its original topography. It is purposely designed to slow runoff, to create microclimate conditions for local flora and fauna, and to allow rapid renewal of vegetation.
ICL’s outstanding accomplishments in the field of ‘reclamation during mining’ were recognized by the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA).
In 2015, ICL Rotem won second place in the Green Leaf Award, a bi-annual competition conducted by the IFA, due to its extensive and innovative activity in the reclamation process of phosphate mines.
The Green Leaf Award was established to promote and recognize extraordinary activity and innovation in sustainability throughout the global fertilizers industry.
Since 2016, ICL Rotem has also been participating in an academic cooperative research, which examines the ecological and biodiversity effectiveness of the ‘reclamation during mining’ process. The research is led by professor Yaron Ziv and Dr. Guy Rotem from the nature science department of Ben Gurion University. Reclaimed areas are compared to adjacent undisturbed land cells. The Researched parameters include soil chemistry, soil microbiology, vegetation growth potential, abundance and types of Arthropod animals and remote sensing land analysis. This pioneer research is one of the first globally to scientifically examine the effectiveness of open-mine reclamation in arid and hyper-arid lands.
Contributing to Strengthening the Population of Birds of Prey in the Negev
In 2007, ICL Rotem began to cooperate with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority on a project to increase the population of birds of prey in the Negev. The project’s goals include supplying food to the birds, monitoring their activity and environmental education related to the birds of prey. While there has been a decline in the population of birds of prey in Israel, the largest number of nesting sites has been found in the Negev region.
