Sirius Minerals
Sirius Minerals was a UK-based fertilizer developer extracting polyhalite from the world's largest deposit to produce POLY4, a multi-nutrient fertilizer for global agriculture; acquired by Anglo American in 2020 and now operates as Anglo American Woodsmith Limited.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersScarborough, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sirius Minerals does
Sirius Minerals Plc was a UK-based fertilizer development company focused on developing the world's largest and highest grade polyhalite deposit located in North East England, originally known as the York Potash Project and later rebranded as the Woodsmith Project under Anglo American. Its core product, POLY4, is a multi-nutrient fertilizer derived from naturally occurring polyhalite, delivering potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium in a single product, validated through a decade of global agronomic trials showing 3-5% crop yield improvements over conventional fertilizer practice across diverse crops, soils, and climates. The company monetized via planned one-time sales of POLY4 to global agricultural customers, pursuing an enterprise field sales motion targeting large-scale distributors and off-take partners including ADM and CIBRA, supported by webcasts, agronomic content, and an interactive construction progress map.
Following financial and execution challenges funding the multi-billion-pound deep mine construction, Sirius Minerals was acquired in May 2020 by Anglo American plc for approximately £405 million via its wholly-owned subsidiary Anglo American Projects UK Limited. The entity now operates as Anglo American Woodsmith Limited, headquartered in London with operational support offices in Scarborough, and continues as part of Anglo American's Crop Nutrients business. Strategic research collaborations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, 2024) and Biome Makers (soil microbiome studies) extend the evidentiary base for POLY4's positioning in global food security and soil health.
Sirius Minerals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sirius Minerals
- Legal name
- Sirius Minerals is now wholly owned by Anglo American Plc. It is no longer possible to buy Sirius shares as they are no longer traded on the London Stock Exchange.
- Website
- http://www.siriusminerals.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Sirius Minerals was a UK-based fertilizer developer extracting polyhalite from the world's largest deposit to produce POLY4, a multi-nutrient fertilizer for global agriculture; acquired by Anglo American in 2020 and now operates as Anglo American Woodsmith Limited.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sirius Minerals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Fertilizers
- NAICS
- Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Other Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (21239)
- SIC
- Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fertilizer Raw Materials & Intermediates (Phosphate Rock, Sulfuric/Phosphoric Acid, Potash Ore/Brines) (AFABABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Secondary Nutrient Fertilizers (Sulfur, Calcium, Magnesium) (AFABABAF), Magnesite & Magnesium Minerals Mining (IMAKAGAN)
Keywords
Where Sirius Minerals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scarborough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sirius Minerals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Polyhalite Fertilizer Sales: Sirius Minerals was focused on developing the world's largest and highest grade polyhalite deposit to produce and sell POLY4 fertilizer globally. The company planned to monetize through the sale of its multi-nutrient fertilizer product to agricultural customers worldwide.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Sirius Minerals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sirius Minerals extracts and processes polyhalite from the world's largest and highest grade deposit to manufacture POLY4, a multi-nutrient fertilizer containing potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium. The product is sold to global agricultural customers to deliver balanced fertilization and improve crop yields by 3-5% over conventional fertilizer practice.
Product overview
Sirius Minerals was a fertilizer development company acquired by Anglo American plc, primarily focused on polyhalite extraction. The company developed the York Potash Project (later renamed the Woodsmith Project), which is the world's largest and highest grade polyhalite deposit. The core product is POLY4, a unique multi-nutrient fertilizer that can be used to increase balanced fertilization around the world. The Woodsmith Project mine produces the polyhalite ore that is processed into POLY4 for agricultural use globally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- POLY4
Quantifiable outcome
- 3-5% crop yield improvement compared to conventional fertiliser practice
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sirius Minerals
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Sirius Minerals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Sirius Minerals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)coreAnglo American and IAEA partnered to research the benefits of polyhalite for food security. This collaboration brings together international atomic energy expertise to study how polyhalite can contribute to global food security initiatives.
- Biome MakersminorResearch collaboration with Biome Makers to demonstrate POLY4's unique positive effect on soil health. Biome Makers conducted research showing the benefits of polyhalite on soil microbiome.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sirius Minerals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Nutrien Ltd: World's largest fertilizer producer with extensive potash, nitrogen, and phosphate operations. Directly comparable as a multi-nutrient fertilizer incumbent whose MOP and SOP products compete with POLY4 in the global potash market.
- The Mosaic Company: Major phosphate and potash producer with global distribution. Comparable as a large-scale crop nutrient supplier that competes with Sirius / Anglo American's POLY4 across fertilizer product categories.
- Yara International ASA: Global nitrogen fertilizer leader expanding into specialty and balanced crop nutrition. Comparable as a global crop nutrition company pursuing multi-nutrient and sustainable fertilization strategies that overlap with POLY4's value proposition.
- EuroChem Group: Vertically integrated nitrogen, phosphate, and potash producer with European and Russian assets. Comparable as a global multi-nutrient fertilizer producer competing with POLY4 in European and emerging markets.
- Anglo American plc (parent): Diversified mining parent of Sirius Minerals / Woodsmith Project. Comparable as the corporate owner and developer of the Woodsmith polyhalite asset and as a peer-set benchmark for diversified miners evaluating crop nutrients exposure.
Direct peers
- ICL Group: Israeli specialty fertilizer producer including sulfate of potash (SOP) and polyhalite-derived products from the Dead Sea. Most direct competitor to POLY4, offering multi-nutrient fertilizer and potash-based products to global agriculture markets.
- K+S Aktiengesellschaft: German potash and salt miner with a specialty fertilizer focus. Comparable as a European-headquartered potash and specialty fertilizer producer whose products overlap with POLY4's multi-nutrient positioning.
- Compass Minerals International: US-based producer of sulfate of potash (SOP) and other specialty minerals including de-icing salt. Comparable as a specialty fertilizer and industrial mineral producer with multi-nutrient and mineral-based portfolio overlap.
- Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): Chilean specialty plant nutrition and lithium producer with a strong specialty fertilizer (potassium, calcium, magnesium) portfolio. Comparable as a multi-nutrient specialty fertilizer producer whose product mix mirrors POLY4.
Emerging players
- BHP Group (Jansen Potash Project): Diversified miner developing the Jansen Stage 1 & 2 potash project in Saskatchewan. Comparable as a major mining company building greenfield potash capacity, similar to Anglo American's Woodsmith Project in profile and stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sirius Minerals social profiles
Digital presenceSirius Minerals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sirius Minerals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sirius Minerals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sirius Minerals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A6 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sirius Minerals
What does Sirius Minerals do?
Sirius Minerals extracts and processes polyhalite from the world's largest and highest grade deposit to manufacture POLY4, a multi-nutrient fertilizer containing potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium. The product is sold to global agricultural customers to deliver balanced fertilization and improve crop yields by 3-5% over conventional fertilizer practice.
Is Sirius Minerals a public or private company?
Sirius Minerals is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Sirius Minerals founded?
Sirius Minerals was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Sirius Minerals based?
Sirius Minerals is headquartered in Scarborough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Sirius Minerals make money?
One revenue line is on record: polyhalite Fertilizer Sales.
Who are Sirius Minerals's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Nutrien Ltd, The Mosaic Company, Yara International ASA, EuroChem Group and Anglo American plc (parent). Direct peers are ICL Group, K+S Aktiengesellschaft, Compass Minerals International and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). BHP Group (Jansen Potash Project) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sirius Minerals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sirius Minerals.
What industry is Sirius Minerals in?
Sirius Minerals's product category is Specialty Fertilizers. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABABAH, Fertilizer Raw Materials & Intermediates (Phosphate Rock, Sulfuric/Phosphoric Acid, Potash Ore/Brines), with a secondary code of AFABABAF, Secondary Nutrient Fertilizers (Sulfur, Calcium, Magnesium). Its NAICS code is 32531 and its SIC code is 1400.