Woodsmith Polyhalite Mine

[steveR]

Fascinating report on a mahoooosive new mine in North Yorks.

It's the new type of fertiliser product that will be coming out of the ground that also fascinated me.

 

[dave78+]

Fascinating report on a mahoooosive new mine in North Yorks.

It's the new type of fertiliser product that will be coming out of the ground that also fascinated me.

Farmers buying it will be wasting their money if there is no rain or snow.

 

[Womblefarrier]

Wow that’s amazing! Love watching stuff like that! Should provide some employment too.

 

[Bury the Trash]

American owned and aiming for huge export hmm

 

[CornishTone]

American owned and aiming for huge export hmm

Anglo American is a British company, and is actually owned by DeBeers, but yes, colossal export potential. The amount of money they’re talking about will have a not insignificant influence on the UK’s GDP. Quite an interesting prospect agronomically too.

 

[steveR]

Anglo American is a British company, and is actually owned by DeBeers, but yes, colossal export potential. The amount of money they’re talking about will have a not insignificant influence on the UK’s GDP. Quite an interesting prospect agronomically too.

From reading the comments, it sounded like a local "start up" that run into financial and nimby issues ? The big boys then moved in. which is hardly surprising when you look at the money is has cost

 

[steveR]

Farmers buying it will be wasting their money if there is no rain or snow.

Well dear old Blighty does have both...

 

[dave78+]

Well dear old Blighty does have both...

We might see some rain and/or snow but the long-term outlook is not good.

 

[neilo]

We might see some rain and/or snow but the long-term outlook is not good.

 

[neilo]

From reading the comments, it sounded like a local "start up" that run into financial and nimby issues ? The big boys then moved in. which is hardly surprising when you look at the money is has cost

Are there not old threads on here about investing in Sirius?

 

[neilo]

Is the ‘new’ product they are selling as ‘Poly4’ not just Polysulphate, which has been sold for several years from the same mine?
I’ve used it here, as well as PotashPlus (blend of above + MOP iirc).

Just a new owner and a rebrand?

Still an impressive mining operation, under a national park though.

 

[Highland Farmer]

It's a disgrace that the government didn't support the British company (Sirius Minerals) who were developing this mine, they couldn't raise funds to progress and the government refused to provide any backing. Instead they let it be bought out for peanuts by the big multinational. As said it's not a new product, ICI been mining it for years under the north sea and it's very good, been using it for a good number of years myself. Anglo are riding on the backs of the work already done by Sirius.

 

[Yale]

A real shame Sirius did not succeed. Had a small number of shares and lost a bit in the take over but happy to see it being built.

 

[Raggy]

Is the ‘new’ product they are selling as ‘Poly4’ not just Polysulphate, which has been sold for several years from the same mine?
I’ve used it here, as well as PotashPlus (blend of above + MOP iirc).

Just a new owner and a rebrand?

Still an impressive mining operation, under a national park though.

I believe it's a second mine after the ICL one at Boulby. I was lucky enough to go down the Boulby Mine last October. 4000ft down, and then a 40 minute drive seven miles out under the North Sea to the work face. The Polyhalite seam goes as far as Germany. So there's plenty down there to allow a second mine to work.

 

[CornishTone]

Is the ‘new’ product they are selling as ‘Poly4’ not just Polysulphate, which has been sold for several years from the same mine?
I’ve used it here, as well as PotashPlus (blend of above + MOP iirc).

Just a new owner and a rebrand?

Still an impressive mining operation, under a national park though.

It’s ground and prilled rather than just crushed, so a more uniform, consistent product, better nutrient release profile, spreadability etc.

 

[CornishTone]

It's a disgrace that the government didn't support the British company (Sirius Minerals) who were developing this mine, they couldn't raise funds to progress and the government refused to provide any backing. Instead they let it be bought out for peanuts by the big multinational. As said it's not a new product, ICI been mining it for years under the north sea and it's very good, been using it for a good number of years myself. Anglo are riding on the backs of the work already done by Sirius.

Anglo American is a British company, it's just a very, very big British company, which is owned by an even bigger British company, DeBeers, and looking at the scale and technology being used it would take a very very big company to get it up and running properly, and keep the National Park and all it's associated NIMBYs happy. That tunnel to the docks alone is a colossal investment!

 

[Clive]

Fascinating report on a mahoooosive new mine in North Yorks.

It's the new type of fertiliser product that will be coming out of the ground that also fascinated me.

we are running some trials of poly4 here from
this mine over the next few years to see how well it works vs alternatives

looks a really good product well suited to our nutritional requirements, it’s not commercially available for a couple years yet however

will start a thread and log progress / results over next couple of years

 

[red]

It's a disgrace that the government didn't support the British company (Sirius Minerals) who were developing this mine, they couldn't raise funds to progress and the government refused to provide any backing. Instead they let it be bought out for peanuts by the big multinational. As said it's not a new product, ICI been mining it for years under the north sea and it's very good, been using it for a good number of years myself. Anglo are riding on the backs of the work already done by Sirius.

Its happened so many times (under Conservative governments) that you have to wonder if it isn't unofficial policy. With the close links between ministers and big multinationals you ask yourself just who's interests they're putting first?

 

[steveR]

Its happened so many times (under Conservative governments) that you have to wonder if it isn't unofficial policy. With the close links between ministers and big multinationals you ask yourself just who's interests they're putting first?

That question can often be answered, as soon as they leave Office!

 

[Highland Mule]

It's a disgrace that the government didn't support the British company (Sirius Minerals) who were developing this mine, they couldn't raise funds to progress and the government refused to provide any backing. Instead they let it be bought out for peanuts by the big multinational. As said it's not a new product, ICI been mining it for years under the north sea and it's very good, been using it for a good number of years myself. Anglo are riding on the backs of the work already done by Sirius.

Why should my tax money be spent to underwrite a potential loss for investors in an underfunded risky startup? What would be the payback for HMG if Sirius was the owner now, rather than AA?