Palestine Potash Company
A company that extracted potash from the Dead Sea, the Palestine Potash
Company was founded in 1929. In 1930, a plant was established at Kalia, at the
northern end of the Dead Sea. Another larger plant was established at Sodom
(1934), on the southern shore of the Dead Sea. The product of the Sodom plant
was transported by boats to the northern plant, and from there it was sent by
truck to Jerusalem and to the Haifa
port for export.
During the War of Independence,
the potash plant at the north of the Dead Sea was destroyed and the southern
plant was shut down.
In 1952, a new company, the Dead Sea Works, with the concession to produce
potash, was established by the government. In 1953, a road was built from
Be'er Sheva to Sodom, and after it was opened to traffic a new plant was built
at Sodom, where work resumed in 1955.
Sources: Israeli
Foreign Ministry |