POTASH ORE
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Extracting potash from underground mines in Spain is conducted by mining sylvinite, a mixture of potash and salt found in varying concentrations. The potash is then separated from the salt at production plants located near the mines.
ICL Iberia – Suria was awarded IFA’s Green Leaf Award, recognizing safety, health and environmental excellence. An in-depth review of 25 applications by an independent panel of SHE experts concluded that ICL Iberia’s plant in Suria, Spain deserves the 2022 Green Leaf Award in the Phosphate/Potash Producer Category for its excellent environmental case study and the overall world class SHE management of a fertilizer mining site. The production site showcased its Sustainable Mining Management System, with an excellent success story on how both ICL’s new Iberia terminal port, inaugurated in 2020, and the Cabanasses Ramp, helped substantially reduce the GHG emissions of the site.
Read MoreThis award is a recognition of the great efforts made by the company and confirms we are on the right track, when it comes to sustainability... Achieving sustainable mining practices is an ambitious but attainable goal, and we look forward to continuing on this journey.”
Patricio Chacana, SVP of ICL Iberia
ICL has finalized a multi-year project to consolidate its Spanish mines and processing facilities into one complex, utilizing a ramp instead of a shaft to extract the ore, thus increasing the mine’s capacity. The project also consists of expanding capacity, improving logistics and constructing a new, deep-water terminal in the Port of Barcelona, as well as other activities.
The new ICL Terminal, operational since June 2020, supports significant environmental improvements. These include new facilities and train transportation. Train transport is being continuously increased, drastically reducing the number of trucks transporting materials from Bages to the Port of Barcelona, thereby reducing air pollution and GHGs. It also includes new dust collection systems with high-capacity filters at all discharge points. In addition, a portion of the electricity required will be produced on-site with solar energy; photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roofs of buildings.
Area 80,500 m2
Concession: 35 years
Annual ship loading capacity: 4 million tonnes
Investment: 77 million euros
ICL Iberia and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC – The Catalan Railways Authority) signed a 30-year agreement to increase the number of trains transporting potash and salt from the Bages mines to the Port of Barcelona.
This agreement, involves an initial reduction of about 86,000 trucks per year — with the corresponding decrease in CO₂ emissions — and will also contribute to increased road safety.
Read MoreICL conducts its mining activities in Spain pursuant to concessions granted by the Spanish government. In 2015 ICL Iberia has submitted a multi-year restoration program to the Catalonia’s Government for its two production sites in Suria and Sallent. The restoration program for the Suria site is scheduled to extend to 2094 and for the Sallent site until 2070, addressing restoration of salt deposits as well as other environmental issues such as wastewater drainage and sludge treatment.
In July 2020, ICL announced its decision to halt production at the Vilafruns Mine in Spain.
Mining at Vilafruns was due to continue into 2021. An infrastructure upgrade at the nearby ICL Suria mine was expected to be completed and allow the consolidation of the mining activities in Suria, as projected in the Phoenix Plan.
However, recent challenges, including current market conditions, COVID-19 related restrictions and a high level of operating costs at Vilafruns, have brought forward the planned closure. In parallel, ICL continues to step up production at the Suria Mine.
