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Fluor Corporation has been awarded feasibility study services for Anglo American’s Woodsmith mining project in North Yorkshire, England, as the company continues advancing one of the world’s largest known polyhalite fertilizer developments.
Fluor Selected to Support Next Phase of Woodsmith Development
The engineering and construction company said it will recognize the undisclosed contract value in the second quarter of 2026.
Woodsmith is a large-scale underground mining project designed to access what Anglo American describes as the world’s largest known polyhalite fertilizer deposit. The operation includes deep mining shafts and a 37-kilometer underground conveyor tunnel connecting the mine to a materials handling facility in Teesside for processing.
“The Woodsmith project has the potential to create a long term, stable and sustainable naturally occurring source of critical fertilizers for global markets,” said Harish Jammula, President of Fluor’s Mining & Metals business.
“This award reflects our team’s deep technical expertise and our commitment to executing complex projects safely, responsibly and with excellence. We look forward to partnering closely with Anglo American as it advances towards completion of the Woodsmith Project.”
Harish Jammula, President of Fluor’s Mining & Metals business.
Woodsmith Positioned as Major Future Polyhalite Supplier
Construction activity at Woodsmith, including tunnelling and shaft sinking, is already underway.
Once fully operational, the mine is expected to produce 13 million tonnes per year of polyhalite fertilizer, positioning the project as a significant future supplier of low-carbon crop nutrients to global agricultural markets.
Polyhalite is a naturally occurring multi-nutrient fertilizer containing potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium. Anglo American has positioned the product as part of the broader transition toward more sustainable agricultural inputs and lower-carbon food production systems.
The feasibility study award also reflects continued momentum behind large-scale mining developments focused on critical minerals and fertilizer supply security as demand grows for sustainable agricultural solutions.
Mining Engineering and Project Delivery Remain Central to Large-Scale Resource Developments
For Fluor, the Woodsmith contract further expands its role in delivering complex mining and metals infrastructure projects globally.
The company said the award highlights its technical capabilities across large-scale underground mining developments, project execution, and capital-efficient delivery.
Fluor reported 2025 revenue of $15.5 billion and employs nearly 23,000 people worldwide across engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance operations.
Anglo American and Mitsubishi Expand Partnership Around Woodsmith
It comes after Anglo American entered into an investment agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation in February.
The agreement was designed to support continued development of the Woodsmith project while also accelerating commercial growth opportunities for POLY4, Anglo American’s polyhalite fertilizer product.
Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American’s Crop Nutrients business, said at the time: “This is fantastic news for the Woodsmith project. We are delighted that Mitsubishi has shown such confidence in the enormous potential of Woodsmith and the global market for our highly effective POLY4 fertiliser product.”
Under the agreement, Anglo American and Mitsubishi said they would explore opportunities to expand global demand for POLY4, including pilot sales programmes and market development initiatives supported by Mitsubishi’s food and agriculture sector networks.
The deal also extended the companies’ existing relationship, which includes Mitsubishi’s 40% shareholding in the Quellaveco copper mine in Peru.
POLY4 Expansion Continues Across Global Agricultural Markets
The Mitsubishi agreement followed growing commercial activity around POLY4 and recent agronomic research supporting the fertilizer’s performance.
Anglo American cited a decade-long global study published in the Agronomy Journal of the American Society of Agronomy, which found that polyhalite improved crop yields by 3-5% compared with conventional fertilizer practices across multiple crops, soils, and geographies.
In 2025, Anglo American expanded POLY4 sales into Europe, North America, China, and India through distribution partnerships and customer development programmes.
The Woodsmith project currently employs more than 1,000 people, with Anglo American stating that 76% of the workforce comes from the local area.
Yuuki Yoshioka, General Manager of Fertilizer Resources Unit in Mitsubishi Corporation, said: “We are really pleased to build on our existing partnership with Anglo American on such an exciting project. Demand for sustainable fertilizer products is poised to increase as agriculture faces rising expectations to reduce environmental impact and adopt responsible farming practices. We will use our expertise in mine development and Mitsubishi’s strengths across business segments—including the food and agriculture related businesses—to generate new value for the Project.”
This article was produced by the editorial team at Mining Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
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