Approvals status update

§ Key statutory consultees have now responded to the two local authorities on the main application for the York Potash Project;
§ There are relatively few but nonetheless important issues that remain outstanding from statutory consultee responses - all of which the Company believes can be resolved positively;
§ Supplementary Environmental Information to be provided in January 2015 and which the Company expects to resolve remaining issues;
§ High level of support confirmed from wide range of public correspondence;
§ Strong support from government, cross-party MPs, economic bodies and parish councils; and
§ Development Consent Order application submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for the York Potash Harbour Facilities.

Approvals status update

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") provide an update on the approvals process and a possible decision date from one of the local authorities for the determination of the key planning application for the York Potash Project.

The mine and mineral transport system planning applications were submitted to the relevant local authorities by York Potash Limited ("YPL") on 30 September 2014. The local authorities are the North York Moors National Park Authority ("NYMNPA") and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council ("RCBC"). The Company's announcement of the 23 December 2014 confirmed that dates for the determination of the applications have not been confirmed.

Planning officers at NYMNPA have now published an update for members of its planning committee, which is available on the NYMNPA website. Although the NYMNPA is not yet in a position to confirm a specific date, it indicates that officers have undertaken a 'critical path analysis'. This has concluded that a 16 week period will be required between submission of any Supplementary Environmental Information and the determination of the application at a planning committee meeting. Based on current estimates this is likely to lead to a determination in May 2015.

RCBC has not yet given an indication on determination timeframes. Once dates have been set for either application then the Company will update the market accordingly.

Maiden animal feed take-or-pay offtake agreement

Maiden animal feed take-or-pay offtake agreement

§ 50,000tpa take-or-pay agreement with a leading distributor of high quality mineral animal feed ingredients in North America, including option for an additional 25,000tpa
§ Long term supply agreement opening a new market for POLY4 in partnership with an established animal feed distributor

Approvals update - Harbour Facilities

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") provide a procedural update on the approvals process for the proposed Harbour Facilities at Teesside for the York Potash Project ("the Project").

The Company has decided to withdraw its current application for a development consent order, with a view to refining certain options in the application. The purpose of the resubmission is to facilitate a more efficient examination process.

A revised application will be submitted in the near future and a brief update will be provided to the market when this is accepted by the Planning Inspectorate. This does not affect the overall timescales or the other key planning decisions for the Project.

4 February 2015



Sirius Minerals Plc

Silage Corn Crop Study Results



The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") provide an update on the latest results from its ongoing global crop study programme.

This update provides results from the recently completed silage corn trials completed in conjunction with the University of Warwick. Corn harvested for silage is an important feed for animals, and the European Union grows ~5 million hectares of silage corn annually.

By utilising recognised trial protocols, polyhalite was tested as a source of potassium on silage corn against standard muriate of potash ("MOP") and sulphate of potash ("SOP"). This trial further demonstrated the improved macro-nutrient uptake that is offered by polyhalite, which has also been evident across the agronomic programme. Polyhalite achieved favourable results in various capacities including:

· Being supportive of nitrogen uptake which appears to be linked to polyhalite's readily available nutrient release rates. This showed a 52% increase in nitrogen use efficiency;

· Potassium is the most demanded nutrient by corn and polyhalite supports 44% greater uptake compared to MOP;

· Polyhalite seems to be the preferred source of macro-nutrients for silage corn, consistently improving nutrient uptake;

· Polyhalite delivered a 38% increase in dry matter yield over MOP;

· Tissue nutrient uptake measurements significantly increased over MOP (between 28% and 52%); and

· Polyhalite validated to increase crude protein content over MOP and SOP.



Chris Fraser, Managing Director and CEO of Sirius, commented:

"Our latest study offers further validation of the agronomic benefits of polyhalite. The improvement polyhalite can offer to nitrogen use efficiency is very significant in terms of its benefit to both crop yields and the wider environment.

"Following the success of our maiden animal feed sales agreement, it is also encouraging to see how the benefits of polyhalite's high nutrient value can be further shared across the food supply chain in such a major crop for animal feed."

An agronomy update presentation and webcast has been uploaded to the Company website www.siriusminerals.com.

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4971174

Sirius Minerals' fertiliser good for growing silage corn, study finds
By Giles Gwinnett
February 04 2015, 7:12am

Sirius Minerals' (LON:SXX) fertiliser product from its planned mine in North Yorkshire has positive effects on growing silage corn, the latest results of the ongoing global crop study have shown.

Silage is an important feed for cattle and the European Union grows around 5 million hectares of silage corn annually, Sirius reported.

Today's results are from the trials completed along with the University of Warwick, UK, and demonstrated the improved macro-nutrient uptake that is offered by polyhalite compared to standard muriate of potash (MOP) and sulphate of potash (SOP)

Among other benefits, potassium is the most demanded nutrient by corn and polyhalite supports 44% greater uptake compared to MOP, while polyhalite seems to be the preferred source of macro-nutrients for silage corn.

Polyhalite was validated to increase crude protein content against MOP and SOP, Sirius added.

The company's managng director and chief executive Chris Fraser said: "Our latest study offers further validation of the agronomic benefits of polyhalite.

"The improvement polyhalite can offer to nitrogen use efficiency is very significant in terms of its benefit to both crop yields and the wider environment.

"Following the success of our maiden animal feed sales agreement, it is also encouraging to see how the benefits of polyhalite's high nutrient value can be further shared across the food supply chain in such a major crop for animal feed."

Last month, the firm unveiled its first take-or-pay off-take agreement in the animal feed supplement market - a deal is for 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) with a leading US distributor for seven years, with an option to be extended for a further three.

http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/76921

Not sure how recent this update is?

http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/planning/york-potash

Five TBM plan of attack for UK potash mine
11 Feb 2015

Reference design of the 37.5km-long mineral transport tunnel critical for extraction by the UK of the world’s largest and purest concentration of high-grade polyhalite (potash) specifies five main beam gripper TBMs of 6-7m diameter and operating under a cover of up to 362m.

Bid design for the tunnel, which runs from the mine head near Whitby in Yorkshire, to the Teesside port at Redcar in Cleveland, is developed by Arup for project owner Sirius Minerals. The owner has invested £250 million since 2010 on an extensive program of borehole and core drilling surveys, geological and hydrological investigations, as well as development of pre-bid tunnel and shaft design. Total development cost is estimated at £1.4 billion, with a 59-month construction period, which includes a 36-month schedule for the underground constructions.

Project geologist Tristan Pottas told TunnelTalk at a public briefing in Sheffield that up to 30 international civil tunnelling contractors responded to the calls for expressions of interest by Sirius in the main tunnel construction contract, with five teams submitting proposals. TunnelTalk understands that from that list of five, two groups have been invited to make full bids on a design-build basis.

Civil tunnelling methods outlined in the project design feature a full range of support techniques along the the alignment. These are applied according to prevailing geological conditions and the high risk of encountering water-penetrating fault zones. The methods are selected for their environmental, maintenance and design-life benefits, and in preference to an earlier pipeline design.

Full article from link below:

Approvals update

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") provide an update on the approvals process for the York Potash Project.

Further to previous announcements, the Supplementary Environmental Information ("SEI") for its mine, mineral transport system and materials handling facilities applications was submitted to the relevant local authorities yesterday. The documentation will be available on both the local authority and the Company websites in the coming days.

The Company is not expecting to have to provide any further substantive information to the authorities and looks forward to the determination of the applications in the near future. No confirmed dates have been provided yet by either authority, but the market will be updated when these are known.

Sirius Minerals on track to deliver mine feasibility study (Video)

Published on 19 Feb 2015

19 February 2015: Chris Fraser, CEO at Sirius Minerals says that, while waiting for the final approvals for mine development from the North York Moors National Park, the company has everything in place to deliver the definitive feasibility study.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-64kAggdmg

Investor Presentation

http://www.siriusminerals.com/site/assets/files/2077/feb_2015_sxx_investor_presentation.pdf

Potash firm’s plans to build workers village and park and ride
by Rhys Howell
20th February 2015

York Potash has submitted a planning application to the borough council to build temporary accommodation and a park and ride facility in Whitby.


The development, which would consist of one and two storey buildings capable of sleeping 416 people and enough parking spaces for 527 cars, would be used to accommodate in-migrant workers for the proposed potash mine at Dove’s Nest Farm, Sneatonthorpe.

If approved, the facility will be built on Stainsacre Lane and it is estimated that it will be used for a period of approximately four years.

A spokesman for York Potash said: “The temporary construction village has always been a fall-back position and ultimately it may not be needed.

“It will depend on the ability of local accommodation to meet the project’s needs and, importantly, in a way that supports the local tourism industry.”

The company revealed that the park and ride facility is needed to properly coordinate and manage worker traffic to the mine site as they feel that there is insufficient capacity at the existing park and ride in the town.

Once construction has been completed, York Potash’s agreement with owner of the land that the development will be built on is that the site would be returned to its current state – agricultural fields.

Despite this, a number of local residents and business owners have expressed their concerns at the plans.

An online petition has already been set up in opposition to the facility being built at the proposed location and objections to the planning application have been lodged with the borough council.

Laurie Farmer fears that the development will affect her long-established family-run holiday cottage business on Stainsacre Lane which employs three part-time members of staff.

She said: “To me this application takes no regard of the needs of the local community for jobs and the majority of the money from the development during construction will thus not come to the local area.

“Also, the construction of a workers village removes any upside for the local guest houses and B&Bs which may have expected a bonus from the York Potash development during construction.”

Ms Farmer also criticised the plans for ignoring the current development activity at Whitby Business Park, a location which she feels is “much better suited to this type of activity than a new green-field site.”

Mike Shardlow, owner of Beacon Farm and chairman of Sneaton Parish Council feels that the hostility to the proposed development is unneccessary.

“It is too easy to be critical and I think that people have to be realistic,” he said.

“Not all of the specialist personnel needed to undertake the work that will have to be done can be found locally.

“Also, I don’t think it is practical to expect local B & Bs to accommodate all these workers.

“I very much doubt that every guesthouse owner in Whitby wants to be full of workers in muddy boots and dirty overalls.”

Responding to the concerns raised, York Potash said that their preference is for any incoming construction workers to use local accommodation.

A spokesman added: “If this is not available then the company has to have the option to house key workers elsewhere in the local area.

“Similarly, it is also important that existing tourism accommodation isn’t blocked for long periods of time.

“For the shaft sinking work there are only a handful of companies in the world with the experience and ability to deliver the work, so it is likely that they will be bringing a team of specialist personnel to the area.”

York Potash revealed that the reason it is not seeking to build on Whitby’s industrial estate is because “it would be going against attempts by local councils to increase opportunities for local businesses on the park.”

http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/local/potash-firm-s-plans-to-build-workers-village-and-park-and-ride-1-7117252

Liberum Capital Buy 9.17 30.00 30.00 Reiterates

Déjà vu!

2 March 2015
RNS Reach

Sirius Minerals Plc

Corn and Rice Crop Study Results

§ Polyhalite outperformed MOP in corn, improving cob height by 9% and reducing the severity of sheath blight by 71%

§ Polyhalite supports an average 38% increase over MOP in potassium uptake in rice and improves micro-nutrient uptake from 5 to 27%



The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") provide an update on the latest results from its ongoing global crop study programme.

This update provides results from the recently completed corn study at the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Science and the rice study undertaken with Nanjing Institute of Soil Science.

Corn is the largest cereal crop in the world, demanding 7.33 million tonnes of MOP, which is the equivalent to 31.4 million tonnes of polyhalite. Cultivated rice in China represents 18% of the global hectares grown, equating to over 200 million tonnes annually.

In relation to the corn study, MOP was compared to polyhalite as the K source and measured the above ground corn biomass, plant height, cob height and resistance to disease (sheath blight). The study revealed a decrease of 14% of yellow leaves, and an increase of healthy (green) leaves by 8%.

In relation to the rice study, MOP was compared against polyhalite as the K source, but also measured the percentages of individual nutrient uptake for both the macro- and micro-nutrients. Polyhalite supports a 4% yield premium at recommended 90 kg K2O/ha over MOP and increased nutrient uptake of K by 38%. Polyhalite was also shown to improve the micro-nutrient uptake of manganese by 27%.

Chris Fraser, Managing Director and CEO of Sirius, commented:

"Another strong performance from polyhalite on such widespread and important crops is welcome and will continue to aid our discussions with current and future customers."

An agronomy update presentation and webcast has been uploaded to the Company website www.siriusminerals.com.

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4986203

11 March 2015

Sirius Minerals Plc

Proposed Placing of New Ordinary Shares


The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") announce the proposed placing of new ordinary shares in the Company ("Placing Shares") at a price of 7 pence per Placing Share (the "Placing Price") with the intention of raising approximately £15 million (the "Placing").

The Placing which is being conducted by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process to qualifying investors will be launched immediately following this Announcement, in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Appendix to this Announcement.

Liberum Capital Limited ("Liberum") and Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited ("Macquarie") are acting as Joint Global Co-ordinators and Joint Bookrunners on the Placing. WH Ireland Limited ("WHI") is acting as a Co-Bookrunner on the Placing. The Placing is not being underwritten.

Use of Proceeds

The net proceeds from the Placing will be used principally to strengthen the Company's balance sheet and to provide additional working capital to support ongoing project development activities relating to the York Potash Project. The Directors want to ensure that the Company remains in a strong financial position throughout the planning approvals process and beyond, and are grateful for the continuing support of key shareholders. Prior to the Placing, as at 28 February 2015, the Company held cash and cash equivalents of approximately £12 million. Two of the key planning decisions for the York Potash Project are expected by the end of May 2015.

more from link below

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4993093

Sirius Minerals launches £15mln fundraise to develop York project
By Giles Gwinnett
March 11 2015

Potash deposit developer Sirius Minerals (LON:SXX) has launched a share placing to raise around £15mln to advance its York project in Yorkshire, UK.

The fundraise will be conducted by an accelerated book-building process and the books are expected to close no later than 10am today.

Liberum Capital and Macquarie Capital are acting as Joint bookrunners, while WH Ireland is a co-bookrunner.

The firm plans to issue around 214.3 million, or 11.2% of the share capital, at 7 pence each - that's around an 8.5% discount on yesterday's closing price of 7.65p.

The firm is currently going through a lengthy planning approval process for the potential new mine.

Further environmental information for its mine, mineral transport system and materials handling facilities applications was submitted to the relevant local authorities last month.

This 'straddling application' was initially put in to both the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) last September.

Sirius said on Wednesday that two of the key planning decisions for the project were expected by the end of May this year.

Sirius said: "The directors want to ensure that the company remains in a strong financial position throughout the planning approvals process and beyond, and are grateful for the continuing support of key shareholders.

"Prior to the placing, as at 28 February 2015, the Company held cash and cash equivalents of approximately £12 million."

The project will be the first new potash mine in the UK for 40 years and the scope currently envisages a 13 mtpa operation constructed over two phases.

The first phase is designed to provide a 6.5 mtpa operation, which will then be expanded to 13 mtpa over some years.

More follows........

http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/78137/sirius-minerals-launches-15mln-fundraise-to-develop-york-project--78137.html

Investor Presentation

Edit-It states:

Created: 10/03/2015 21:47:13
Modified: 10/03/2015 21:47:13

11 March 2015

Sirius Minerals Plc

Results of Placing

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc ("Sirius" or the "Company") announce the successful completion of the placing (the "Placing") announced earlier today.

A total of 225,978,103 new ordinary shares in the Company (the "Placing Shares") have been placed by Liberum Capital Limited and Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited (together the "Joint Bookrunners") and WH Ireland Limited (together with the Joint Bookrunners, the "Managers") at a price of 7 pence per Placing Share (the "Placing Price"). Based on the Placing Price, the net proceeds of the Placing will be approximately £15.0 million (approximately US$22.5 million). The Placing Shares being issued in the Placing represent approximately 11.8 per cent of the Company's issued ordinary share capital prior to the Placing. The Placing is not underwritten.

Chris Fraser, Managing Director and CEO of Sirius, commented:

"We are pleased to announce the result of today's significantly oversubscribed placing and acknowledge the significant support shown by both new and existing shareholders. The proceeds raised not only strengthen the balance sheet but also allow us to maintain the development momentum at our flagship York Potash Project."

The Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 8.5 per cent to the closing middle market price per Ordinary Share on 10 March 2015 on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange plc ("AIM").

Conditional on the Placing, Scrimshaw Nominees Pty Limited as trustee for the Scrimshaw Superannuation Fund, of which Russell Scrimshaw is a beneficiary, has agreed to subscribe for 714,286 new ordinary shares in the Company at the Placing Price (the "Chairman's Subscription"). Conditional on the Placing, Lord Hutton of Furness has agreed to subscribe for 28,571 new ordinary shares in the Company at the Placing Price (together with the Chairman's Subscription, the "Directors' Subscriptions").

Following the Directors' Subscriptions, Russell Scrimshaw will have a beneficial interest in 40,133,504 ordinary shares in the Company which will represent 1.88 per cent of the Company's total voting rights after completion of the Placing and Lord Hutton of Furness will have a beneficial interest in 28,571 ordinary shares in the Company.

The Placing Shares will, when issued, be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of Sirius, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of issue.

Application has been made for admission of the Placing Shares (including the new ordinary shares to be issued pursuant to the Directors' Subscriptions) to trading on AIM ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will take place and that trading will commence on AIM at 8.00 a.m. on 16 March 2015 (the "Closing Date") and in any event no later than 26 March 2015.

For the purposes of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Company's total issued share capital following completion of the Placing will comprise 2,136,261,436 ordinary shares with one voting right per share. The Company has no shares in treasury. The above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company, under the Disclosure and Transparency.

http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4993522