Full Breakdown
Catalan Protest Camp Challenges ICL’s Salt Mines and White-Phosphorus Links
6/17/2026, 8:17:15 PM
Core Event
Between 17 and 19 April, up to a thousand demonstrators set up a protest camp in Callús, Bages county (Barcelona province). The encampment targeted the operation of sodium- and potassium-salt mines run by Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) through its Iberian subsidiary Iberpotash, which extracts ore in the municipalities of Sallent, Balsareny, Vilafruns and Súria. Protesters also demanded an end to ICL’s production of white phosphorus, a chemical used in military munitions.
Background & Context
Iberpotash has managed the mines since their 1998 privatisation. Over two decades the company has generated large spoil heaps of sodium chloride; rain and humidity dissolve the material into brine that infiltrates the Llobregat river basin, a key water source for Barcelona and surrounding areas. Simultaneously, ICL supplied white phosphorus to the U.S. Army from 2020 to an announced end-date of 2025, a contract documented by the U.S. government. Human-rights groups verified the use of white-phosphorus munitions by the Israeli army in Daraiya, Lebanon (16 Oct 2023) and in Gaza.
Key Figures & Groups
- Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) – owner of Iberpotash.
- Montsalat – long-standing local platform denouncing pollution.
- Revoltes de la Terra – activist network; spokesperson Júlia Martí.
- Mazin Qumsiyeh – director, Palestinian Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability.
- Nora Miralles – researcher, Observatori Drets Humans i Empreses.
- European Commission – EU regulator that opened infringement proceedings in 2014.
- Iberian Mining Observatory – provider of environmental data.
- Trade unions – filed complaints over occupational safety.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
The European Commission launched infringement proceedings in 2014, later concluding that Spain had granted illegal state aid to Iberpotash and ordering recovery of the funds. ICL’s executives initially issued a blanket denial of the U.S. contract; after questioning, they acknowledged the agreement and claimed supplies ceased in 2023. The Catalan regional government’s 2006-2008 tripartite coalition (PSC, ERC, ICV) negotiated the original mining concessions.
Criticism & Opposition
Activists argue that Iberpotash’s operations “enrich” the Catalan government while facilitating Israel’s alleged war crimes. Trade unions cite unsafe working conditions, and Amnesty International links ICL’s white-phosphorus production to civilian harm in Lebanon and Gaza.
On-the-Ground Reports
Camp participants organised talks, workshops, and direct actions such as climbing waste tips and dismantling sections of the railway linking Súria’s mine to the Barcelona port. The documentary *Sal a la ferida* records testimonies from six local residents describing water contamination and health impacts.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the termination date of ICL’s white-phosphorus supply: the company says deliveries stopped in 2023, while the U.S. contract lists an end-date of 2025. Independent water-quality monitoring data for the Llobregat basin remain unpublished, leaving the extent of contamination unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In the last two years Israel has produced more greenhouse gases from bombing alone than Spain generates through all its activities,” — Mazin Qumsiyeh, Director, Palestinian Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability
- “We wanted to point out and expose the Generalitat’s complicity (...). They are shipping potash from a Zionist company to enrich themselves and continue helping Israel to commit this genocide,” — Júlia Martí, Spokesperson, Revoltes de la Terra
- “es’, says that the white phosphorus does not remain in the United States and that another US company is responsible for reselling it to the Israeli army.” — Nora Miralles, Researcher, Observatori Drets Humans i Empreses
- “The European Commission itself launched infringement proceedings in 2014 against Spain for failing to comply with the EU directive on mineral resources, first to remedy the pollution caused by the spoil heaps and, second, to restore some of the company’s sites through a questionable multimillion-euro injection of public money.” — European Commission (statement)
What’s Next
The European Commission is expected to enforce the illegal-aid recovery and monitor compliance with the 2018 restoration plan. Spanish courts may review the 2014 infringement ruling, while activist groups plan further demonstrations ahead of the 2027 mining licence renewal. Ongoing investigations into ICL’s white-phosphorus contracts could trigger additional legal scrutiny.
