Mining firm Anglo American wants to remove restrictions on its annual polyhalite production as part of its Woodsmith project near Whitby.

The company is developing a polyhalite fertiliser mine and a 37-kilometre tunnel as part of a plan to transport the product to Teesside and sell the fertiliser globally to boost crop yields.

In addition to removing an annual polyhalite production restriction, Anglo American wants approval for the redesign and relocation of a ventilation shaft and temporary winding headframe.

The proposal – which will be decided by the North York Moors National Park Authority – is set to be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Whitby Town Council’s planning committee tonight (Jun 2).

placeholder image — Anglo American's Woodsmith Mine

The main amendment is the “requirement to alter the location of the currently approved ventilation shaft and for it to be sunk to the mine production level of 1,600m,” according to plans.

A temporary winding tower would be required to sink the shaft, which would be removed when the mine is operational. Associated surface developments would include a ventilation fan station, air coolers, refrigeration plant and heat exchange system.

The amendments are the outcome of a review of the mine’s ventilation requirements which identified a need to increase both the ventilation airflow and cooling load to maintain safe workplace temperatures.

Woodsmith Mine site is situated approximately 4km south of the outskirts of Whitby and wholly within the boundary of the North York Moors National Park.

The site was formerly in agricultural use but is now at an advanced stage of construction.

“Sinking of the two deep shafts, the Service and Production shafts, and the MTS Shaft has commenced, with the two deep shafts reaching a depth of 874m and 712m below ground level respectively,” according to plans.

The mineral transport shaft (MTS) has been fully sunk to a depth of 360m and horizontal development works have been undertaken.

The Woodsmith Project was acquired by Anglo American from Sirius Minerals in 2020 and is targeting the world’s largest and highest-grade polyhalite deposit.

Polyhalite is a naturally occurring mineral containing four of the six macronutrients that are “essential for plant growth”.

Since acquiring the Woodsmith Project in 2020, Anglo American has carried out a comprehensive technical review to optimise the project’s design and delivery. The review identified a series of engineering enhancements aimed at ensuring the project’s long-term safety, efficiency, and operational reliability, the company said.