Boulby is a working potash and rock-salt mine with hundreds of miles of underground roads, tunnels and caverns. Alum was also mined near by to supply the die industry but potash and rock salt are now the main products taken from this deep mine facility. Polyhalite is another mineral they produce that consists of calcium, magnesium and potassium sulphates that can be crushed to produce a bulk fertiliser rich in sulphur.
You can see Boulby if you walk along the Cleveland Way between Runswick Bay and Staithes but the mine is quite discreet with only a chimney visible.
Interesting and Unusual Facts about Boulby
Boulby Underground Laboratory is 3,500 feet below ground in Boulby Mine on the North East coast of Yorkshire. It is the UK’s deepest underground science facility. Boulby is the home to the ZEPLIN-III and DRIFT-II Dark Matter search projects.
Boulby has got one of Yorkshire’s remaining Sound Mirrors used to detect Zepplins during the war.
Just north of the village 1 mile from Staithes are the highest cliffs in England, at 203 meters (666 ft) above sea level.
Boulby Alum Tunnel Entrance by twiggles CC BY-NC 2.0