AGGREGATES FOR WHITBY MINE

THE FIRST train of aggregates to support construction of a new polyhalite mine in North Yorkshire has arrived at the A. V. Dawson terminal in Middlesbrough.

Sirius Minerals, the company behind the recently-named Woodsmith mine near Whitby, has almost completed highways works to improve access to the mine. Construction at the site is set to start imminently, ready for the mine’s planned opening in 2021.

According to mining.com, Sirius’ mine is poised to be one of the world’s largest in terms of the amount of resources extracted. It is set to generate an initial 10 million tonnes per year of polyhalite – a form of potash that is used in agricultural fertilisers – before it enters a second phase that will double that production to 20 million tonnes a year. The mine will create over 1,000 jobs once it is operational, plus 2,000 jobs in the building phase.

The project includes the construction a 23-mile tunnel to transport the mined ore under the North York Moors national park to processing and harbour facilities on Teesside.

Neil McShane, A.V. Dawson rail manager, said: ‘We’re on hand to support the project in a number of ways, including rail and road haulage, importing material through our quayside and also providing a stockpiling facility to allow Sirius to better manage supply of aggregate by road to the site’.