Sim Sharphouse, Operations Manager at Salko UK, shares insights into the company’s scope, innovative approach, and the scale of their involvement in the ambitious infrastructure project.
Situated in the North York Moors National Park is one of the most ambitious engineering projects in the UK today: Woodsmith Mine. Uniquely located in one of the UK’s most protected landscapes, the mine has been designed to operate almost entirely underground to minimise visual and environmental disruption.
At the heart of the project is the construction of two deep mine shafts, plunging over 1600 m below ground. They will be the deepest mineshafts in Europe and are a critical component of the mine’s infrastructure, enabling the extraction of polyhalite -a naturally occurring mineral used as a fertiliser.
From 2020, Salko UK worked alongside partners to provide full Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) installation packages across the Woodsmith Mine site. With contracts running through to 2025 and over £17.8 million value of work delivered to date, Salko UK’s role in supporting the development of the mineshafts highlights the scale and strength of its capabilities.
Throughout the project, the team focused on infrastructure that is both high performing and environmentally responsible. Salko UK’s ventilation and dewatering systems were engineered for long-term efficiency, helping to reduce energy waste and minimise operational emissions.
Additional mechanical installations involved concrete line surveys and the integration of dust extraction systems tailored for underground environments. On the electrical side, the team delivered containment systems, EC&I packages for the OLKO winder, installation of motor pit power distribution and control equipment.
With up to 80 skilled personnel on-site at peak—including project managers, planners, electricians, welders, and mechanical fitters – Salko UK was responsible for executing technically demanding works within tight environmental and logistical constraints.
What sets Woodsmith Mine apart is not just its scale but its innovative approach, requiring both technical excellence and environmental sensitivity. To reduce the visual footprint, all headframes are constructed below ground level and surface buildings are kept to a minimum.
This innovative design ensures that even as major infrastructure is developed, the surrounding natural beauty of the North York Moors National Park remains largely untouched.
Additionally, the mine will incorporate a 37 km underground conveyor system - the longest of its kind in Europe which will transport extracted polyhalite directly to a processing facility on the coast. This eliminates the need for heavy surface transport, significantly reducing noise, emissions and traffic impact on local communities.
Working in such an environmentally sensitive setting required forward thinking engineering and commitment to completing the contract as consciously as possible from the very beginning. From ventilation to dewatering, every element the team has delivered is built with long-term sustainability in mind.
By prioritising energy-efficient equipment, modular construction techniques and materials that minimise waste, Salko UK ensured that the infrastructure not only meets the immediate operational needs of Woodsmith Mine, but also supports its ongoing goal of reducing carbon footprint and environmental impact throughout the mine’s lifecycle.