BOSSES at a 116-year-old quarry say it has been saved from closure after agreeing a deal to supply aggregates for a £1.5bn mine.

Cemex UK say its Newbridge Quarry, in Pickering, North Yorkshire, will be used to help construct the proposed York Potash mine, which could be built at Sneaton, near Whitby.

The quarry employs six workers and supports scores of supply chain engineering and haulage jobs, which Cemex say will be safeguarded in the deal.

National Park officials are due to make a decision on granting planning permission for the mine on July 29.

If approved, the deal will provide a significant boost to workers at the quarry who were told it could close next month.

Rob Doody, operations director, said: “The construction market has been at an all-time low affecting the demand for aggregates, so it is good news we can keep the quarry open and our employees in work.”

Gareth Edmunds, external affairs director for York Potash, said the agreement was a boost for the local economy, which he said would receive a £55m boost from the mine's construction.

He said: “We are committed to using local suppliers and using local quarries not only benefits the local economy but reduces the length of vehicle movement, and this is just one example of how businesses can benefit from the project.”