27 Jan 2014 07:00
27 January 2014
Sirius Minerals Plc
Recent Crop Study Results
The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") are pleased to provide an update on the latest results from its on-going global crop study programme.
This update provides crop study results from Durham University (United Kingdom) and Shandong Agricultural University (China) along with the recently announced product characterisation test results performed by Société Générale de Surveillance ('SGS') & NRM Laboratories which demonstrated the suitability and effectiveness of POLY4 as a commercial fertilizer.
The latest scientific studies validate previous study results on major crops of global importance such as corn, cotton, oilseed rape and wheat in which POLY4 proves to be an effective and valuable fertilizer based on yield and quality performance. The peanut trial from Shandong Agricultural University demonstrated the value of fertilizing cash crops with POLY4.
Current highlights of the programme include:
· Results at Durham University indicate that POLY4 outperforms MOP when comparing the aerial dry weight of young wheat growth in two varieties tested
· Accelerated early stage corn growth, supported by POLY4 blends, reduces the risk of seedling disease and significantly improves quality
· POLY4 blends are a good fit for peanuts and outperform MOP on various application rates
· POLY4 is an effective source of nutrients which are readily available to the plant, cause no interference and in some cases improve the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
The Company's global agronomy programme is aimed at continuing to demonstrate the performance of POLY4 on crops at leading agricultural universities in Brazil, China, USA, UK and Malaysia.
Chris Fraser, Managing Director and CEO of Sirius, commented:
"This latest set of impressive results continue to confirm that POLY4 is a valuable and effective multi-nutrient fertilizer. I have no doubt that polyhalite will play a major role in helping to meet the increasing global demand for food.
"Our ongoing global agronomy programme is designed to deliver commercial and scientific information to highlight the market-changing potential of POLY4 and support on-going discussions with customers around the globe."
An agronomy update presentation and webcast has been uploaded to the Company website www.siriusminerals.com.
For further information, please contact:
Sirius Minerals Plc | |||||
Investor Relations
| Tel: +44 8455 240 247
| Email: | ir@siriusminerals.com | ||
NOMAD/ Joint Broker | Joint Broker | Media Enquiries | |||
Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited | Liberum Capital Limited | Bell Pottinger Pelham | |||
Steve Baldwin, Raj Khatri | Clayton Bush, Tim Graham | Mark Antelme, Lorna Spears | |||
Tel: +44 20 3037 2000 | Tel: +44 20 3100 2222 | Tel: +44 20 7861 3232 | |||
About Sirius Minerals Plc
Sirius Minerals is a globally diversified potash development company. Its primary focus is to bring on stream major potash mining facilities through the acquisition and development of projects overlying recognised potash deposits. Today it holds properties in the United Kingdom (North Yorkshire) and the United States (North Dakota). Incorporated in 2003, Sirius Minerals' shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. Its shares are also traded in the United States on the OTCQX through a sponsored ADR facility. Further information on the Company can be found at www.siriusminerals.com.