ICL Boulby Update – A mining solution to a mining problem

By Sarah Arnold, ICL Boulby
ICL Boulby Update – A mining solution to a mining problem
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ICL Boulby’s Mine Stabilisation Project was launched at the EfW Conference 2020. The overall objective is to produce blocks which are emplaced underground to create stable roadways enabling safe access to the essential infrastructure.

The blocks will be made using solidified Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr) from municipal Energy for Waste (EfW) plants. This is a proven approach with genuine environmental benefits as it saves considerable energy and reduces the use of natural resources compared with traditional mine stabilisation approaches. 

Over the last year the project has progressed significantly; technical, environmental and commercial aspects have been investigated, challenged and validated. 

A key success has been the results achieved from the Pilot Plant which has produced APCr blocks in a larger scale. These blocks have been tested to define the necessary chemical and engineering parameters required for project development. 

The team at ICL are confident that in the next few years the Tees Valley project will deliver an essential stabilisation plan that ensures the strategically important mineral operation can remain for many more decades; allowing the mine to continue producing valuable minerals for the UK & World for the longer term.

The project creates a circular economy through the continual use of resources and will divert a significant amount of APCr from landfill. 

ICL Boulby 

Located on the heritage coast and within the North York Moors National Park, Boulby Mine is in the Tees Valley and close to the North Yorkshire border. With economic potash (Sylvite and Sylvinite) mining coming to an end in 2018, ICL Boulby now concentrates its mining efforts on polyhalite and salt. Boulby is the first mine in the world to mine polyhalite, a fertiliser containing the benefits of sulphur, potassium, magnesium and calcium.  Sold exclusively by ICL as Polysulphate, this material has the potential to become a key resource as an international fertiliser.  

If you would like to talk to us further about our project please contact Sarah Arnold, Business Manager on Sarah.Arnold@icl-group.com

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