The venture was started by York Potash Ltd, which became a subsidiary of Sirius Minerals plc whose primary focus was the development of the polyhalite project.

[7] Sirius withdrew its initial planning application in 2013 to re-examine key elements, particularly the project's environmental impact.

[8] Plans were resubmitted in 2014 with notable changes including an underground system of conveyor belts to transport the dry mineral, instead of a slurry pipeline, and other mitigation efforts.

[9] Originally, the transport methods for delivering the product from the mine were conveyor, pipeline and by rail on the Esk Valley line.

[10] The decision from members of the North York Moors National Park Authority to resolve to grant planning permission for the mine and mineral transport system, was made at a public meeting on 30 June 2015.

[12] Sirius intended to have the mine and associated tunnel operational by 2021,[13] with preferred bidder status on construction being announced in June 2016.

[note 1][16] To minimise the amount of visible infrastructure within the North York Moors National Park, a protected area, the polyhalite ore will be transported 23 miles (37 km) at an average depth of 820 feet (250 m) in a tunnel to the company's processing plant at Teesside.

In September 2018, Sirius Minerals revealed that had signed a seven-year deal with a Brazilian fertiliser distributor to export 2,500,000 tonnes (2,800,000 tons) per year to South America.

Engineers will install a storage area and ship loading facilities to allow the product to be exported from the original site.

[21] In September 2019 the project was in doubt when Sirius shelved a £400 million junk bond sale, citing a lack of government support and Brexit uncertainty.

[28] In November 2019 the company announced that it was in talks with potential investors to raise $600 million needed to fund the first phase of the development.

The farmer who works the land that will be adjacent to the minesite wrote to the NPA in support of the project stating Please approve the application and stop the deteriorating living standards of the Whitby people.

[11] In February 2017, the project was given the name Woodsmith Mine in an unveiling by Andrew Percy MP, the Northern Powerhouse Minister.

[40] The name of the mine is a portmanteau of the surnames of Peter Woods and Dr Frederick Smith, who were two of the original geologists on the project.