Media Careers Contact Our websites About us The Woodsmith Project Our fertiliser Sustainability Our community Search About us About us SHARE Twitter Facebook LinkedIn What is the Woodsmith Project The Woodsmith Project is a deep mine and associated transport, processing and shipping infrastructure development under construction in North Yorkshire, UK. It will produce polyhalite, a naturally occurring mineral containing potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium, four of the six key nutrients required for plant growth. It will be sold as a low chloride, multi-nutrient fertiliser suitable for organic use that can boost crop yields and aid more sustainable farming. Woodsmith mine Our state-of-the-art mine is being constructed two miles south of Whitby in the North York Moors National Park. Polyhalite ore will be extracted via two mine shafts and transported outside of the National Park to Teesside on a conveyer belt system in an underground tunnel, avoiding any impact on the countryside above. It will then be granulated at a materials handling facility, with the majority being exported to overseas markets. Meeting the world’s evolving needs A fast growing global population requires increasing amounts of food from decreasing available land. More efficient, effective and sustainable farming methods and fertilisers, such as polyhalite, must be found. "Over the next 35 years, more food will need to be produced than has been to date in human history" - Prof Tim Benton, University of Leeds Our POLY4 fertiliser provides premium crop performance at a lower cost and in a more environmentally friendly way than other similar fertiliser products. It delivers multiple nutrients in one product, giving them access to a broad range of nutrients throughout their growth cycle. It can also be easily blended with other fertilisers to produce the optimal mix of nutrients for any crop. This results in stronger, healthier crops, higher returns for farmers, and more food for people to eat. Go to POLY4.com Fertiliser demand is expected to increase over the coming decades due to: Population growth Reduction in arable land Increasing nutrient demand Population growth According to the UN Population Division, the world’s population is predicted to increase to 9 billion by 2050, placing increased demand on food production. As economies become wealthier, the demand for protein rich and high quality diets increases. Sustaining increased livestock herds requires greater efficiency from grain production and arable land. An increase in agricultural production of 60% between 2010 and 2050 is required to meet rising global food demand. The world’s largest known high-grade polyhalite deposit The project area contains the largest, highest grade resource of polyhalite to be found anywhere in the world. Polyhalite is commonly found at a centimetre scale in mineral deposits throughout the world. But North Yorkshire is the only currently known place where such a thick and high grade deposit exists. The polyhalite deposit was formed in the late Permian period, around 260 million years ago, in the southern North Sea basin. What was then the Zechstein Sea periodically evaporated, leaving behind a sequence of mineral deposits including the shelf and basin seams of polyhalite. Designed with nature in mind Our location, in the North York Moors, and the agricultural nature of our project, means we have a deep understanding of and responsibility to our environment. The whole design philosophy of our project is to minimise our environmental impact as much as possible – both in construction and operations. All major infrastructure at Woodsmith will be sunk below ground so that when the mine is completed, no mining equipment will be visible on site, with surface buildings kept to a minimum and the entire site landscaped to blend in with the natural environment. There are strict environmental limits governing issues such as noise, air quality, traffic and light pollution, and carbon emissions will be offset through the planting of 7,000 hectares of trees. Photo credit: Mark Bulmer, Ebor Images. Sustainable mining Responsibility to our environment The polyhalite deposit can only be accessed from within the North York Moors National Park, so we have taken extensive steps to limit the environmental impact of the mine: 01 ALL MAJOR MINE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING BURIED UNDERGROUND Previous Next At the heart of North Yorkshire and Teesside communities We are committed to taking an active and positive role in the local community: making a meaningful contribution to the social and economic wellbeing of the area, minimising the potentially adverse impacts of construction and maintaining good relationships with local stakeholders as our project develops. Business opportunities and jobs for many generations Our project is the largest private sector capital investment in the north of England and is set to be operational for decades to come. It will make a meaningful economic impact on the local area in terms of investment, business opportunities and jobs for several decades. We have created an education programme in schools, focused on STEM subjects, to raise the aspirations and skills of young people and build a workforce for the future, and set up a charitable foundation to leave a lasting legacy for the region. We are also committed to communicating with local people about the Project and its impact in as open and transparent a way as possible. Learn more about the Sirius Minerals Foundation here Our Community Up to 1,700 jobs at peak construction Up to 1,000 direct long-term jobs for highly skilled employees Around 1,500 jobs in the supply chain The Foundation has awarded three separate rounds of funding since December 2017, providing over £800,000 to 150 local projects which support education and skills training, improve public spaces and facilities, promote health and wellbeing, support vulnerable people, and deliver environmental initiatives and community building schemes. David ArcherSirius Minerals Foundation Our people Our people are central to the success of the project. Their knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes have enabled us to get to where we are today. Our team is an adaptable, diverse group of individuals who come from all walks of life, recruited mainly from the local area, together with experts in their field from many different countries across the globe. We foster a culture that puts safety and teamwork at the heart of everything we do. Belief and determination are critical to our success and we are developing an environment that stimulates finding solutions, encouraging collaboration and innovation. Challenging the norm and aiming high is central to our success. Work with us Developing our skills Giving something back Apprenticeships Developing our skills We are fully committed to supporting individuals to develop their skills and gain the qualifications that enable them to progress their careers and make a positive contribution to the business. We are currently supporting over 10% of our staff to enhance their professional expertise, ranging from business management degrees, level 3 business administration qualifications and post-graduate studies. This project is a huge opportunity for the UK and sits at the heart of the Government’s Industrial Strategy agenda. The creation of thousands of jobs, increase in productivity and boost to exports will help power our economy at a critical time. David KerfootChairman of York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP This is a fantastic project for the people of the Tees Valley. After the devastating closure of the steelworks in 2015, new high-value jobs, training schemes enabling people to remain in the area, and large-scale supply chain opportunities are already proving to be having a huge impact on our area. Ben HouchenMayor of the Tees Valley Our websites Australia Brazil Chile China Finland Peru South Africa Group Foundation Group site Kumba Iron Ore Platinum Group Metals Stay in touch Keep up to date on social media or contact us with any other information Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Flickr Slideshare YouTube Privacy Policy Terms and conditions Accessibility Cookie policy Sitemap Cookies Settings Copyright © 2020