BHP Ltd. reported that its Jansen potash project, under development 140 kilometers east of Saskatoon, Sask., is “tracking to the accelerated plan” with first production still targeted for the end of the 2026 calendar year.
All piling activities for the processing mill and storage facilities were completed in the quarter ended June 30, BHP said in its operational review for the year ended June 30, 2023.
BHP said Stage 1 of Jansen is now 26% complete, up from 20% at the end of the quarter ended March 31, 2023 (GM April 28, p. 30). Once fully operational, Stage 1 will have capacity to produce 4.35 million mt/y of potassium chloride.
During FY2024, BHP plans to transition from civil works at Jansen into steel and equipment installation on the surface and underground, as well as continuing with equipment procurement. It said port construction will continue. BHP is investing a total of US$5.723 billion in the Jansen Stage 1 project.
BHP said the feasibility study for Jansen Stage 2 continues to progress and is on track to be completed during FY2024. The company in February announced that it had accelerated the Stage 2 feasibility study (GM Feb. 24, p. 1), a year earlier than previously expected (GM Sept. 9, 2022). Stage 2 could add another 4 million mt/y of capacity.