Park potash seam bigger than thought

Sirius Minerals revealed yesterday that tests have shown the potash seam centred on the North York Moors National Park extends to 2.2bn tonnes of polyhalite – 70 per cent more than the previously estimated amount. Exploratory drilling work has already pinpointed one of the world’s most extensive seams of the mineral, which is a key component in fertiliser and vital to helping satiate global food demand.

The company also announced it will update a project study for the production of polyhalite, the potash ore which would be targeted in the mining operation and a source of potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium.

The managing director and CEO of Sirius Minerals, Chris Fraser, said: “We are continuing to refine the York Potash Project to create the simplest, lowest risk and most sustainable long-term development model. Our strategy has evolved to focus on extracting the greatest value from polyhalite as we understand more from potential customers about this unique multi-nutrient and multi-product ore.”

York Potash, which is part of Sirius Minerals, announced in September that it plans to build the mine on farmland near Sneaton.

A planning application is due to be submitted by the end of the year for the mine, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and a further 4,000 jobs in the wider economy.

The Yorkshire Post revealed on Saturday that a pipeline to carry the mineral ore to a processing plant in Teeeside would pass across four protected sites in the national park.

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