BHP Group Ltd. reported on Jan. 18 that its Jansen Stage 1 potash project in Saskatchewan is 38% complete, up from 32% on Sept. 30, 2023 (GM Nov. 3, 2023). First production remains on target for the end of calendar year 2026. Once fully ramped up, Jansen Stage 1 will have capacity to produce 4.15 million mt/y of potassium chloride.
BHP’s Board on Oct. 31, 2023, gave the go-ahead for Jansen Stage 2, which will add another 4.36 million mt/y of potassium chloride production capacity when completed (GM Nov. 3, 2023). The group is targeting first production of the second stage in FY2029.
In its operational review for the half year to Dec. 31, 2023, BHP said it expects operational expenditure related to its potash activities to be around $130 million in the second half of its fiscal year 2024, which ends on June 30. BHP has put its total expected capex for Jansen Stage 1 at $5.723 billion and for Stage 2 at $4.859 billion.
Longer term, Jansen has the potential for two additional expansions to reach an ultimate production capacity of 16-17 million mt/y, subject to studies and approvals.