ICL Boulby polyhalite mine on the coast of East Cleveland, Teesside has secured international contracts to produce more than a million tonnes of fertiliser.
The agreements are with China, Poland, Spain and Ukraine over three to 12 years and follow an increase in sales at Boulby Mine of 50% in each of the past three years.
Boulby is the world’s first and only polyhalite mine and the company has already sold its products in 22 countries across five continents.
Polyhalite (K2MgCa2(SO4)4·2H2O) is a natural multi-nutrient fertiliser consisting of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
Boulby’s polyhalite – marketed as Polysulphate – will be sold in a five-year agreement with a Ukrainian fertiliser company for 350,000 tonnes; more than 500,000 tonnes for a customer in Poland over 12 years; an agreement with 16 regional distributors in China for 100,000 tonnes of during 2020; and a three-year agreement, with an optional one-year extension, with a producer and distributor in Spain.
The East Cleveland mine’s general manager and vice president Andrew Fulton said the new contracts showed that the company was “making an increasingly important contribution to meeting food needs not only in the UK but across many different parts of the world.”
“As the world’s first and only producer of polyhalite, we are proud to have been able to make our contribution to maintaining food production during this very challenging time,” he added
“Recognised by the UK Government as an essential industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone involved with the company has worked hard to maintain production and the news of these latest contracts show that we are well placed to continue moving forwards.
“It also demonstrates the increasing acceptance of Polysulphate as a unique high-quality multi nutrient fertiliser, demonstrated by over 600 field trials showing increases in growth, yield and quality in a wide variety of crops and conditions.”
Most of Boulby’s bulk cargo, which also includes potash and rock salt, is transported by rail to Teesport’s specific potash and rock salt terminal.
Boulby Mine is a 200-hectare (490-acre) site south-east of the village of Boulby, on the north-east coast of the North York Moors in Redcar and Cleveland. It is run by Cleveland Potash Limited, which is now a subsidiary of Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL).