Anglo American has announced a five-year research partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to explore the potential of polyhalite in combating soil salinisation and enhancing food security.
The project will be conducted by the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The research will focus on how polyhalite, a multi-nutrient natural mineral fertiliser produced by Anglo American, can mitigate the effects of high salt levels in soil. Soil salinisation is a significant global issue, affecting approximately 932 million hectares of land, equivalent to about one-third of all irrigated land.
The Woodsmith mine, currently under development near Whitby, will be the source of polyhalite for the research project. Polyhalite is a naturally occurring mineral rich in potassium, sulphur, magnesium, and calcium. It is considered a low-carbon and organic fertiliser solution with the potential to increase crop yields while promoting soil health and resilience.
The IAEA and FAO initiative, Atoms4Food, aims to leverage isotopic techniques to improve crop resilience, soil health, and global food security. The partnership with Anglo American will allow Atoms4Food to further investigate the role of polyhalite in addressing the growing problem of soil salinisation exacerbated by climate change, unsustainable farming practices, and land use changes.
Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American's Crop Nutrients business, highlighted the importance of sustainable farming practices and the role of polyhalite in improving global food production. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of IAEA, emphasised the need for scientific innovation and collaboration, including partnerships with the private sector, to address global hunger and food security challenges.
Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American’s Crop Nutrients business, said:
“Our research partnership with the IAEA is a perfect example of our purpose in action – we are re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.
It is abundantly clear that, as a society, we need to change the way we grow food around the world – moving away from legacy inputs into more sustainable farming practices.
Polyhalite has a major role to play and we are currently developing a mine in the UK to access the world’s largest known deposit. Soil degradation and salinisation is an enormous and underappreciated problem, and I congratulate the FAO and the IAEA for their leadership on this critical issue and we look forward to making a real difference through our collaboration.”
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of IAEA, said:
“To tackle global hunger and increase food security, we need science, we need innovation, and we need to make the most of all available tools, including nuclear techniques.
We also need everybody engaged, especially the private sector. This partnership with Anglo American will help us to maximise impact and scale up interventions.”
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