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Exhibit 5.i.(b)
Curacao, November 9th, 2001
IMC GLOBAL INC.
and each of the Guarantors
of the Exchange Notes
100 South Saunders Road
Suite 300
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-4, Registration No.
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333-71510
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are issuing this opinion in our capacity as special legal counsel to IMC
Potash Colonsay N.V. and IMC Global Potash Holdings N.V., jointly referred to as
"Guarantor", Netherlands Antilles corporations together with the Issuer and the
other Guarantors together with the Guarantor referred to as "Guarantors", are
hereinafter referred to as the "Registrants", in connection with the proposed
registration by the Issuer of $400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the
Issuer's 10.875% Senior Notes due 2008, Series B (the "Seven-Year Exchange
Notes") and $300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Issuer's 11.250%
Senior Notes due 2011, Series B (the "Ten-Year Exchange Notes" and together with
the Seven-Year Exchange Notes, the "Exchange Notes") pursuant to a Registration
Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-71510) originally filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on October 12, 2001, under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act") (such Registration Statement,
as amended or supplemented, is hereinafter referred to as the "Registration
Statement"). The obligations of the Issuer under the Exchange Notes will be
guaranteed by the Guarantor together with the other Guarantors (the "Guaranty").
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The Exchange Notes and the Guaranty are to be issued pursuant to indentures
(as amended and supplemented from time to time, collectively the "Indenture"),
dated as of May 17, 2001, between the Issuer, the Guarantors and The Bank of New
York, as trustee. The Exchange Notes and the Guaranty are to be issued in
exchange for and in replacement of the Issuer's 10.875% Senior Notes due 2008
(the "Old Seven-Year Notes"), of which $400,000,000 in aggregate principal
amount is outstanding and 11.250% Senior Notes due 2011 (the "Old Ten-Year
Notes" and together with the Old Seven-Year Notes, the "Old Notes"), of which
$300,000,000 in aggregate principal amount (of which $200,000,000 in the
aggregate principal amount was issued in May, 2001 and $100,000,000 in the
aggregate principal amount was issued in October, 2001) is outstanding.
In that connection, we have examined originals, or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records
and other instruments as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of this
opinion, including (i) the Articles of Incorporation of the Guarantor, (ii)
minutes and records of the corporate proceedings of the Guarantor with respect
to the issuance of the Exchange Notes and the Guaranty, (iii) the Indenture,
and (iv) the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the originals of
all documents submitted to us as copies and the authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as copies. We have also assumed the genuineness of the
signatures of persons signing all documents in connection with which this
opinion is rendered, the authority of such persons signing on behalf of the
parties thereto other than the Guarantor and the due authorization, execution
and delivery of all documents by the parties thereto other than the
Guarantor. As to any facts material to the opinion expressed herein which we
have not independently established or verified, we have relied upon
statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the
Guarantor and others.
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The opinion expressed below is subject to the validity of the Form S-4
and the Indenture are valid and binding under applicable law.
Our opinion expressed below is subject to the qualifications that we
express no opinion as to the applicability of, compliance with, or effect of (i)
any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or
other similar law affecting the enforcement of creditor's rights generally, (ii)
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law), and (iii) public policy considerations which
may limit the rights of parties to obtain certain remedies.
Based upon and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations
and the further limitations set forth below, we are of the opinion that when (i)
the Registration Statement becomes effective, (ii) the Indenture has been duly
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and (iii) the
Exchange Notes have been duly executed and authenticates in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture and duly delivered to the holders thereof in
exchange for the Old Notes, the Exchange Notes and the Guarantees will be
validly issued and binding obligations of the Issuer and Guarantors,
respectively.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the commission as
Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to
our firm under the heading "Validity of the New Securities" in the Registration
Statement, In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act of the
rules and regulations of the Commission.
Our advice on every legal issue addressed in this letter is based
exclusively on the internal law of the State of New York, the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Delaware case law decided
thereunder or the federal law of the United States.
This opinion is limited to the specific issues addressed herein, and no
opinion may be inferred or implied beyond that expressly stated herein. We
assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion should be present laws
of the States of New York or Delaware or the
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federal law of the United States be changed by legislative action, judicial
decision or otherwise.
This opinion is furnished to you in connection with the filing of the
Registration Statement and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise
relied upon for any other purpose.
Sincerely,
Alexander & Simon
/s/ Johannes B.M. Clement
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By: Johannes B.M. Clement
Deputy Notary