Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced planning approval to extend Ireland's only rock salt mine.
Ten jobs will also be created in the development which will see the mine near Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, extended by almost 279 hectares, the equivalent of 340 international football pitches.
The mine is one of only three in Ireland and the UK.
The recent bad weather resulted in a shortage of rock salt to grit the country's roads.
Current salt reserves are set to run out in 2012 and the extension will provide a further 30 years' supply.
