The long-term future of an iconic and intricate sculpture created to mark the 50th anniversary of a mineral mine has been secured thanks to the galvanizers.

Boulby Mine, situated in North Yorkshire, is the United Kingdom’s deepest working mine and was the first in the world to undertake the commercial production of polyhalite – a rare mineral commonly used as fertiliser. To mark its half a century, owners of the mine (ICL Boulby), commissioned artist Katie Ventress to produce a commemorative bench to showcase to visitors and the community what day-to-day life is like for the workers underground. But to stand the test of time, and to produce an impressive finish that serves as a fitting testament to miners, past, present and future, galvanizing was the only natural choice.

The galvanizing of an iconic sculpture - a commemorative bench created to mark the 50th anniversary of a mineral mine - has ensured its long-term future as an important centrepiece among the mining community and beyond. To mark its half a century, owners of the mine (ICL Boulby), commissioned artist Katie Ventress to produce a sculpture that showcased to the community and gave a rare insight into what life is like for the workers underground. Boulby Mine is one of the largest employers in the area, and this distinctive sculpture offers just a glimpse of what daily life is like for its workers, and gives their families and members of the wider public a unique place to sit, reflect and understand its significance. 

The impressive artwork is a replica of ‘Bait Tables’, which are located at the bottom of the mine and where the miners sit to have lunch and conduct meetings. It features a moving, life-size figure of a modern-day miner and comes complete with a ‘communications board’ featuring a tannoy, phone, and light. The table-top itself is produced from a sheet of laser cut stainless-steel incorporating information about the mine, as well as a detailed map of the underground tunnels. 

The elaborate picnic-style bench took just over three months to produce, after which it was sent to the galvanizer for careful processing. Galvanizing was essential to protect the sculpture from the outside elements, and to ensure ultimate ease of those who commissioned it - in that once galvanized, there would be no requirement for any maintenance work. After galvanizing the artist also applied acid etching to create striking highlight effects. 

The sculpture was commissioned by the owners of the mine to recognise 50 years in operation, and to pay tribute to the dedication of the generations of miners for whom Boulby has been a way of life. Plus, the 50-year milestone sculpture will stand as prestigious testament to future generations, as well as provide enjoyment to the local community and visitors to the area for many, many years to come. And, as such galvanizing the artwork was essential for the piece to stand the test of time.

The galvanizing team worked closely with the sculptor to make sure the stunning piece of artwork was processed in such a way that the end result matched its creator’s expectations. 

The final prestigious piece will be sited just a few hundred yards from the mine itself, and positioned near to the 110-mile Cleveland Way English national trail footpath, as it passes through the area. The life-size sculpture will be visible to large numbers of passers-by, the mining community and visitors and so carries prominence and reflects an important part of the fabric and heritage of the wider area.
As a work of art, the sculpture stands to serve for many years as a fitting tribute to all the mine’s workers – past, present and future and as such galvanizing was the natural option to protect it from the elements, to ensure that it remains as good as new for the next 50 years. The unique galvanized coating will ensure that the materials used in the creation of the sculpture retain their original intended appearance and the quality of the sculpture does not degrade over time. 

Not only does a galvanized finish ensure longevity of the sculpture in the battle against the harsh north Yorkshire weather, it also enhances its beauty and aesthetics. In this case, there really is no alternative - without the unique protection galvanizing offers, the sculpture would simply not be able to stand the test of time, nor stand proud as fitting tribute to the mine’s workers.