The geology of Boulby Mine

Abstract

Boulby mine is the first full-scale exploitation of the Zechstein Potash deposits in northeastern England. A large-enough area of the potash and adjacent beds has now been exposed in the mine to provide extensive evidence of both brine-controlled mineral migration and gravity-induced plastic flow of the potash bed. The underlying halite is much less affected. The deformation of the potash bed, together with its high temperature and gas content, leads to a number of mining problems, but the high grade of the ore and its simple mineralogy make processing straightforward.