A MINE which switched its entire production to a different mineral just months ago is now tapping into one of the biggest agricultural markets in the world.

The Boulby mine in east Cleveland traditionally mined for potash, which is used as a fertiliser, but with stocks dwindling it started to produce only polyhalite in 2018.

Boulby, owned by global company ICL, is now making its mark in China.

Boulby is the world’s first and only producer of polyhalite—marketed as Polysulphate—which offers four key nutrients needed to help farmers increase yields and become more productive

There is a strong interest in China in the benefits it can offer and already ICL is producing two products—Megapoly and Sofipoly—specifically for the Chinese market.

Boulby vice president Andrew Fulton said: “The interest in the potential of Polysulphate is growing all the time in many different parts of the world and obviously in China there is a huge need to increase food production for its population of almost 1.5billion.

“This year will see us boost our Polysulphate production to 700,000 tonnes with the prospect of further growth as the demand grows.

"Our parent company ICL is working closely with us in raising interest and awareness of the benefits it can deliver, with increasing evidence of how it can help the growth of many different crops.”

The first shipment of the fertliser ICL PKpluS, using Boulby polyhalite, recently arrived in Poland and polyhalite-based products from ICL sell in more than 22 countries.

The 45-year-old mine saw its biggest change to date in August as it switched to become the world's first polyhalite mine, securing then future of the 500 jobs there.

The president and chief executive of Israeli Chemicals Limited (ICL), Boulby's parent company, said mining would continue there for 'decades to come'.

ICL is intending to become world leaders with polyhalite products and it hopes to more than double current polyhalite production at Boulby to one million tonnes by 2020.

ICL announced 230 job losses at Boulby last year as it shifted from potash mining. It once employed more than 1,000 people.

If sales go well after 2020 ICL could look to pump additional investment and possibly extra staff in to ramp production up to three million tonnes, depending on sales.

Boulby's managers said in August they would be looking to revive apprenticeship schemes to bring in local young miners.

Some of the younger miners currently on-site are now about 40 years old.