Negev Industrial Minerals Ltd. (NIM)

Negev Industrial Minerals Ltd. (NIM), known in Hebrew as נגב מינרלים תעשייתיים בע"מ, is an Israeli mining, processing and manufacturing company founded in 1953. It was originally registered as "Clay and Pure Sand in the Negev Ltd." (חרסית וחול זך בנגב בע"מ) and was established to develop, mine and market minerals for Israel's ceramics and glass industries. The company's creation was part of the broader vision of developing the Negev desert, a national priority championed by David Ben-Gurion in the early years of the State of Israel. NIM operates three main sites in southern Israel. At Makhtesh Hatira (the "Large Crater"), the company mines, dries and screens high-quality quartz sand with low iron content, the only Israeli supplier of this raw material for the glass and artificial marble industries and for steel and metal foundries. At Mishor Rotem, NIM mines limestone and produces lime at a plant inaugurated in 1995, supplying mainly local customers in the chemical industry and for the production of building blocks with improved insulation. At Makhtesh Ramon, the company is rehabilitating an old flint-like clay quarry while also supplying flint clay and kaolin to the cement industry and others. NIM's product range includes lime (quicklime and hydrated lime), limestone, silica sand and clay. These materials serve a wide variety of industries: chemicals, food, paper, water and wastewater treatment, glass and fiberglass, metal production, construction, environmental uses, desalination, agriculture, paint, glass manufacturing, mold and casting production, sandblasting, filtration, cement, fireproofing, oil and gas, plastics and more. The company's lime plant operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 364 days a year, and NIM maintains an advanced laboratory to ensure high product quality and to develop new products tailored to customer needs. Ownership of NIM has changed several times. In 1975 the company was acquired by Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), a leading global fertilizer company. In 2004 it was purchased by Dorz D.R. Holdings Ltd., controlled by the Razin family. The company is currently private and headquartered in the Omer Industrial Park. NIM emphasizes environmental responsibility and contributes to community activities in Israel, with a focus on the Negev region. In December 2014, marking 60 years of activity, the company introduced a new logo representing the natural treasures and mineral layers it mines and processes, replacing its familiar triangle logo.

Negev Industrial Minerals Ltd. was founded in 1953 as "Clay and Pure Sand in the Negev Ltd." (חרסית וחול זך בנגב בע"מ). Its establishment was part of the vision of David Ben-Gurion to develop the Negev desert as a national, security and economic priority for the young State of Israel. The company was registered on 16 January 1953, intended to replace "Limestone Industries Ltd." (תעשיות אבן גיר בע"מ), which had been founded by Solel Boneh in 1950. The goal was to develop, mine and market minerals discovered in Wadi Hatira in the Large Crater (Makhtesh Hatira) for Israel's ceramics and glass industries. In its early years, the company mined flint-like clay (חד"צ) at Makhtesh Ramon, purifying and calcining it at a plant it established on site. This pioneering plant contributed to Israel's industrial development and helped settle the Negev by providing employment. A large part of its output was designated for export, contributing foreign currency to the state treasury. The clay also served as raw material for the local ceramics and roofing tile industries. In 1954, for example, the company sold 860 tons of clay to the local industry. However, the use of these minerals was problematic due to inconsistency in production and processing, which caused manufacturing faults. In 1958, the company established a plant for processing glass sand brought from Makhtesh Ramon in Dimona, but this plant was ultimately not operated; instead, a new plant was built at Makhtesh Ramon near the mining site. In the mid-1960s, a clay processing facility was also established there, but it closed in 1967 due to lack of economic viability. In 1970-1971, the facility was operated by Asher Zichri, a private entrepreneur who ran it as a subcontractor. The company's mining plant is located in the Large Crater in the Hatira ridge, where high-quality quartz sand (silica) is mined, dried and screened, mainly for the glass industry and construction. Similar sand exists in Timna Valley near Eilat, but mining at the Large Crater has an economic advantage due to lower transport costs because of its proximity to the center of the country. As early as the 1960s, the government sought to sell the company to a private entrepreneur after failing to make it profitable. In 1970, a tender for its sale was published but was canceled due to low bids. In 1975, the company became a subsidiary of Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), a leading global fertilizer company. In 1995, a plant for mining and processing limestone and lime began operations at Mishor Rotem, mainly serving the chemical and construction industries. That same year, the company changed its name to Negev Industrial Minerals Ltd. In 2004, the company was sold to Dorz D.R. Holdings Ltd., controlled by the Razin family. In 2009, rehabilitation work began at Makhtesh Ramon. In 2011, the company inaugurated a second lime kiln, doubling its production capacity. The company's headquarters is currently located in the Omer Industrial Park. In December 2014, marking 60 years of activity, the company introduced a new logo representing the natural treasures and mineral layers it mines and processes, replacing its familiar triangle logo.

• 2014

  New company logo introduced on 60th anniversary.

• 2011

  Inauguration of second lime kiln, doubling production capacity.

• 2009

  Start of rehabilitation work at Makhtesh Ramon.

• 2004

  Company acquired by Dorz D.R. Holdings Ltd.

• 1995

  Launch of the lime plant at Mishor Rotem; company renamed Negev Industrial Minerals Ltd.

• 1975

  Company acquired by Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL).

• 1964

  Establishment of the sand plant at Hatira.

• 1953

  Company founded as "Clay and Pure Sand in the Negev Ltd." and cornerstone laid for its first plant at Makhtesh Ramon.

Leading Israeli producer of lime, limestone, silica sand and clay, known for high-quality raw materials and customer service.

• Lime

  Derived from burnt limestone; includes quicklime and hydrated lime.

• Quicklime

  A primary form of lime.

• Hydrated lime

  Also known as slaked lime.

• Limestone

  Mined at Mishor Rotem, used in chemical and construction industries.

• Silica sand

  High-quality quartz sand with low iron content, mined at Makhtesh Hatira.

• Clay

  Flint-like clay and kaolin for cement and other industries.

1. 1Official website homepagenim.co.il
2. 2History pagenim.co.il
3. 3About us pagenim.co.il
4. 4Products pagenim.co.il
5. 5Wikidata entrywikidata.org
6. 6Hebrew Wikipedia articlehe.wikipedia.org