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Barir Field Phosphate Mine

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Barir Field Phosphate Mine Rotem-Amfert Negev Ltd. is interested in establishing

a new phosphate mine in the Barir Mt. area. For this purpose, Geo-prospect has prepared a detailed plan.

Essence of the plan: Activity at the site will comprise of mining only. The phosphate mined, will be enriched and

processed to industrial products at the existing plants at the Rotem Plain. The Rotem plants are located 20 km southern to Arad city.

The access road will go southward and connect to the existing plants.

At a later stage a conveyor belt is planned to transport the phosphate to the plants.

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Chemical Composition

The majority of the material will be over-burden composed of carbonates.

The ore includes phosphorus oxides with a 26% concentration, and an average Uranium concentration of 50 PPM.

Enrichment will not be conducted at the site!

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Kseife

Arad

Location Map

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Conclusions of Environmental Impact Survey The site is not visible from its surroundings. There will not be significant damage to the biological

and zoological species diversity. The site is located in an area that is not sensitive in

the sense of scenery or natural resources. The site corresponds to all outline plans applying to

the location. Within the site and its immediate surroundings, there

are local populations. The plan corresponds to policy regarding arrangement for permanent and high-quality housing for those residents, far from the mining area.

Noise, dust, and vibration nuisances are not expected for the permanent population of the area.

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Ministry of Environmental Protection’sattention to Barir Field plan

1999 Involvement from the early stages of preparation of the plan

1/2000 Submission of guidelines for preparation of Environmental Impact Survey

3/2000 Approval of the plan by the District Committee

8/2001 Upon request of the Ministry, the survey was sent for preliminary evaluation

9/2001 The survey was officially submitted

1/2002 First reaction of the Ministry regarding noise

2/2002 Response submitted regarding noise issue

4/2002 Request for additions, without air quality chapter

7/2002 Meeting regarding air quality after the commenting of the head of the Air Quality Branch of the Ministry- Southern District

10/2002 Additional meeting with the head of the Air Quality Dept. at Rotem

1/2003 The external expert submits his/her opinion to the survey

2/2003 The Ministry submits the requested additions including air quality chapter

6/2003 The Ministry presents a correction to the additions document

8/2004 Ministry of Environmental Protection’s opinion

1/2005 Public hearing

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Work Progress- Air quality Preparation of guidelines for the Environmental Impact

study: Commissioning of Prof. Skibbin to prepare these

guidelines for Ministry of Environmental Protection (MOE).

Background particle concentration measurements. Over viewing and examination of emission factors by Prof.

Skibbin. Compatibility of the model to work on a parallelized

supercomputer at Tel Aviv University. Running the model for TSP, PM10, and phosphate Examination and verification of the parallelized model by

the computing system consultant of the MOE. Further examination and verification by a Canadian

expert- Prof. Jesse Teh.

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Work Progress- Air Quality (cont.) Checking the model results by the district and by the

Air Quality Dept. Checking the model results by the local municipality

environmental dept. Checking the model results by Prof. Skibbin Checking the model results by Prof. Jesse The. Approval of the Air Quality chapter by the MOE. Additional study of PM2.5 dispersion, according to

Ministry of Health demand. Model re-runs using AERMOD dispersion model and

updated emission factors according to AP-42 (TSP ,PM10 ,PM2.5).

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Average annual wind speed 4.13 m/sec

Most frequent wind direction: western and north eastern

Frequency of wind blowing towards Arad and Kseife is low.

Wind Rose

Wind towards

Arad

Wind towards Kseife

Arad 2005-2009Arad 2005-2009

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Dispersion Model CalculationsCalculation model: AERMOD Regulatory model, approved and maintained by US EPA Recommended by the US EPA for dispersion calculations of

gaseous and particulate pollutants. Recommended by the MOE.

Pollutant dispersion calculation were carried out for: PM2.5, TSP, PM10 and P2O5. Emission factors for these pollutants are calculated in accordance with

AP-42 guidelines. Meteorological input comprises of 5 year hourly data, from the Arad

meteorological station. Two work scenarios were examined. The results presented are of

scenario B. Mining at the north east area of the Barir field- closest to Arad. Mining activity includes removal of over burden, phosphate mining,

replacement of burden, preliminary crushing and conveyor belt transport . Annual mining volume: 2 million ton phosphate, 5.7 million ton

overburden.

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Work scenario B – TSPmaximum 3H concentrations

TSP 3HAir quality standard:300 mcg/m3

12208000 210000 212000 214000 216000 218000 220000 222000

558000

560000

562000

564000

566000

568000

570000

572000

574000

576000

578000PM10 24H Air qualitystandard:150 mcg/m3

Work scenario B – PM10maximum 24H concentrations

13 208000 210000 212000 214000 216000 218000 220000 222000558000

560000

562000

564000

566000

568000

570000

572000

574000

576000

578000

Work scenario B –P2O5maximum half-hourly concentrations

P2O5 Half-hourlystandard:250 mcg/m3

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PM2.5 Emissions

As a conservative estimate emission factors for PM2.5, were taken as 30% of the PM10 emissions.

Based on particle size distribution Based on mass ratio between this distribution and the

mass of fine particles, smaller than 2.5 micron.

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PM2.5 results

Relative to the future air quality standard

mcg/m3Receptor

0.008

0.004

0.21

0.1

Arad, S. Neurimneighborhood

Kseife

Calculated annual averages results:

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Summary We have calculated the dispersion of 4 types of

particulate pollutants, for 2 work scenarios and for five full meteorological years.

No exceedances from air quality standards are expected in the entire outline area of Arad and Kseife, due to mining work.

The maximum calculated values in the outline plan area of the city of Arad, and the town of Kseife, are considerably lower than the air quality standard.

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Regulatory bodies recommendations Carrying out an exsperimental mining prior to

approving the plan Principles of experimental mining process:

Continuous monitoring set-up prior to mining Experimental mining at the site for one year- during

which time the success parameters will be assessed, according to definitions set up ahead of time.

Continuous monitoring during mining Establishment of a supervision team Supervision by the environmental unit of Arad Work stopage during problematic meteorological

conditions Environmental compensation

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Experimental mining site

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Radon

During the preparation of survey, Dr. Shirav of the Geological Survey of Israel, presented his opinion regarding radon fluxes (attached as Appendix 6 of the survey)

The opinion states that: “High radon concentrations are found in the near proximity of fresh outcrops of rich phosphate layers, is immediately diluted by the fresh air and definitely at a short distance from the active mining or from the piles of mined phosphate the radon concentration is completely unaffected. Therefore, in the Arad area as well, or even at closer in habited areas, there should not be any increase in radon in the air due to mining at the Barir field”

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Radon

According to this recommendation, settled dust measurements were conducted for this survey for phosphate P2O5

The amount of settled dust measured was very low An additional document presented as an appendix to

the survey, is radon concentration measurements in the vicinity of the mining area, according to distances estimated in Germany by Dr. M. Kimmel.

For these measurements 500 monitoring points were established around mines that could be affected by radon emissions.

Radon (cont.)

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0

50

100

150

200

250

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Rado

n Co

ncen

tratio

n in

Bq/

m³

0

5

10

15

20

25

Rado

n Em

issi

on fr

om S

haft

379

in T

Bq

Long-term Outdoor Radon in the Vicinity of Shaft 379

Radon emission

distance 90 mdistance 900 m Background

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The graph shows the strong match between radon emission and the concentration very near the mine.

At a range of 900 m the measured concentrations are much lower, and similar to background values

In accordance with this, a 1 km range has been determined as the domain of influence for the Barir field plan.