47

30°36′55″N / 34°53′23″E

October 9, 2011. Open-pit gypsum mine at the base of the Ramon Crater dating to the 1950s (see 11). The machine in the center pulverizes the extracted rubble which is then stored in conical piles around the site for later transport. The soil at the base of the crater contains rare mineral deposits and rock layers that date back 220 million years. In order to exploit the vast resources held beneath the land of the crater, dozens of mines were founded in the years following the establishment of the State of Israel. The extensive mineral exploitation which was carried out in the following years resulted in significant damage to the ecosystem. Under increasing pressure from environmentalist groups, the government decided in July 1994 to stop mining in the crater and to promote the development of the area for nature conservation and desert tourism. Nonetheless, several quarries and mines continue to operate here.